THE BOOK OF 
FISH AND 
FISHING 

BY LOUIS RHEAD 








">' Oi\ " -P ''■7-' •'Ov 







?^ 



o 0^ 









%.^^' : 









>^ 






^ 



< '.7^^ .A • 



/ 'p 









%c,^ 



.-..^..^ % 



^/ '^^ %. v.'#%^r # 




1 cT' ('^V 



% 



./\ 






->' 



.-'..^ "'^".^co-. 



p^ v^ 



r-^"^ 



-. ^^ 



P^ * 



/.•- 






■.A^<^ 



\'' * 



■':■ .,^ 










s' -s-. 






.0^^ 



OO 



■-^-^ V 






c^ ^5^^^^- 





-.\ 


.^"" 








' N>' 


%. 


'' 




, 




:%'' 
r- "-- 


^;^ 






vOo. 












• .«..?■ „ 






1 VrutcuoL X a^>on/vA^ 



THE BOOK OF FISH AND FISHING 



^TXf^^^^ no8 



!■ 






(\^o^14-^ 






(\2.o%^^'\ 




JIul 



PREFACE 

The object of this book is to inform anglers 
about every kind of fresh -water and especially 
marine fish — "much in little." Those fish not 
angled for are left out, and scientific names and 
descriptions are not considered. Of the thou- 
sands of fish in American waters, I have selected 
only those best known for gameness and economic 
value, so that the veriest tyro can be informed about 
angling methods and any equipment he should need 
without trouble, time, and expense in searching 
other works. First and last, I have tried to make 
an all-round pocket guide — an encyclopaedia of 
facts — the easiest and best ways, how to catch, 
where to go, and how to get the best sport. 

To avoid monotonous repetition, the writer 
deemed it wise to plan the book under sub-divided 
headings and to combine the various fish in groups 
and collate the methods of taking them so that 
they can be seen at a glance. Complete infor- 
mation concerning each fish is not, therefore, con- 
fined to a single chapter, but occurs under various 
headings, as shown in the Contents, page xi. 

The writer has, all his life, been much at- 
tached to the sport of angling, and circumstances 
vii 



Preface 

have permitted him to indulge in that passion to 
a greater extent and over a wider field than either 
time or opportunity would probably have allowed 
most anglers. He has taken every game fish that 
swims, from the southern borders of Labrador 
down to the Dry Tortugas, as well as in many 
of the great inland seas. During the last twenty- 
five years he has made careful and painstaking 
studies of the most approved methods to lure, and 
also of the habits of fishes. 

I believe we are on the verge of a revolution, 
both as to breeding and stocking, not only by the 
various States, but by private individuals who 
will take up fish culture as a commercial enter- 
prise; while more advanced methods of taking 
fishes will be employed by means of better tackle 
and an intelligent use of it. 

It is over fifty years since the "Jock Scott" and 
"silver doctor" salmon flies were invented. 
Nothing in flies has been made since to equal 
them. On the other hand, marvellous strides 
have been made during the last twenty-five years 
in artificial lures, mostly remarkable from the 
fact that they are rarely imitations of living bait. 

Heretofore angling books have been almost 
entirely devoted to fresh -water fishes; in this 
volume the vast army of salt-water anglers may 
have information in compact form about their 
popular favorites. 

For information concerning the various game 
fishes I have consulted and quoted from the 
works of the following distinguished authorities: 



Preface 

Charles F. Holder ("Fishing on the Pacific 
Coast"), the late Dean Sage ("Atlantic Salmon"), 
the late Wm. C. Harris ("Bass and Trout"), Dr. 
Tarleton H. Bean ("Striped Bass," "Hatching," 
and numerous other subjects), H. Cholmondeley 
Penncll ("Trout and Salmon"), W. C. Stewart 
("Worming for Trout"), John Bickerdyke, Major 
Traherne, Frederick M. Halford, Henry R. 
Francis, Dr. Brown Goode, Charles Hallock, 
Thaddeus Norris, Frank Forrester, Genio Scott, 
and ethers. 

For the mode of capture, both for fresh-water 
and marine fishes, I have used my own ex- 
perience and practice, except in case of the tuna 
and black sea-bass of the Pacific Coast. 

In the art of angling there is much diversity of 
opinion as to what is best, both in tackle and 
methods. In such cases, I have taken a middle 
course, avoiding dogmatic rules, laying down no 
rock-bound law and merely expressing the opin- 
ion of what I consider best, whether in my own 
experience or that of others. 

The author wishes to acknowledge his indebt^ 
edness to the United States Bureau of Fisheries 
for permission to use numerous cuts in this 
volume. 

Louis Rhead. 

Flatbusk, L. 1, 



CONTENTS 



I. Popular Fresh- Water Game Fish . 1 

Salmon — Mascalonge — Pike — Black 
Bass — Grayling — Trout — Charr-trout. 

II. Popular Salt- Water Game Fish . 27 

^Leaping Tuna — * Tarpon —^ Black Sea- 
Bass — Yellow Tail — *Weakfish of the 
Atlantic and Pacific — ' Striped Bass — 

^ Blue-fish — ^ Bonito— ^Albacore — Chan- 
nel Bass — - Sheepshead. 

III. Popular Bottom Fresh- Water Fish . 77 

Pike Perch — Dace — Chub — Carp — 
Sunfish — Perch — Eels — Catfish. 

rV. Popular Bottom Sea Fish . . 98 

' Sea-Bass — Tautog or Blackfish — ^'King- 
fish — Plaice -^ Flounder — Lafayette — 
Porgy -^ Smelts — Cod — Tomcod. 

V. Where to Get Them . . .119 

General distribution — List of places — 
Good waters for Salmon, Bass and Trout 
— Mascalonge. 
Best places for salt-water fish. 

VI. How to Get Them .... 145 

Salmon: With the fly — Killing flies — 
Working and casting from a canoe — With 
live bait — Trolling — Prawn methods — 
The worm. 

Mascalonge and Pike: Still -fishing in 
rivers and lakes — Gang hooks — Bait- 
casting — Trolling. 

Pike and Pickerel: Trolling — Skitter- 
ing — Still-fishing. 
Black Bass: With the fly— Small flies in 



Contents 

CHAPTER PAGE 

rivers — Weather conditions — Minnows 
and how to hook them — Various hve 
baits — The best artificial lures. 
Trout: With the fly — Brook and river 
fishing — Dry fly-fishing — Casting the fly 
— Live bait-fishing — With worms. 

VII. When to Get Them . . . 219 

Time of day: Early morning — Mid-day 

— Sunset — Night. 

Best season: Fish caught early — Fish 

caught late. 

Open and closed season: Why closed 

season is required. 

Best kind of weather: Windy day — 

Wet day — Dry day. 

VIII. With What to Get Them . . 240 

Rods: Casting power — Solid and bam- 
boo — Steel rods — Fly rod and bait rod. 
Tackle: Reels — Lines — Gut. 
Hooks: Names — Bend — Size. 
Equipment: Dress — Wading-boots and 
stockings— Landing-nets — Fishing pock- 
et-book — Sundries. 
Women who fish. 

IX. How to Play and How to Land 

Them 276 

Way to handle rod — Way to handle line 
and reel — How to use net — Gaffing. 

X. The Right Way to Keep Fish Fresh 283 

In the creel — Icing them — At the end of 
day's trip — How to pack them. 

XI. How to Cook Them . . .292 

Cleaning fish — Camp cookery — Serving 
fish. 

XII. Simple Hatchery for Trout . . 299 

Care of fry— Location required— The kind 
of water — Stocking brooks — Feeding. 

xii 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

FACING 
PAGE 

Popular Fresh -Water Game Fish ... 4 

•Atlantic Salmon — Pacific Salmon — Lake 
Trout — Brown Trout. 

Popular Fresh -Water Game Fish ... 18 

Speckled Trout — Rainbow Trout — Mal- 
ma (Dolly Varden) Trout— Tahoe Trout. 

Popular Salt -Water Game Fish ... 30 

^ Tarpon — "^-^Tuna — Black Grouper or 
Jew-fish^Bonito. 

Popular Salt -Water Game Fish . . .50 

^ Blue-fish ^Weakfish — Spotted Weak- 
fish — Spanish Mackerel. 

Popular Salt -Water Game Fish • v • • ^^ 

^ Striped Bass — Drum-^Mackerel— Shad. 

Popular Bottom Fresh -Water Fish ... 84 

Common Carp — White Bass — White Cat- 
fish — Perch. 

Popular Bottom Sea Fish .... 100 

*^ Sheepshead — Porgy — Tautog. 

Popular Bottom Sea Fish .... 108 

Fluke —^Flounder — '^ Sea -Bass— King- 
fish. 

Popular Bottom Sea Fish . . . .116, 

* Cod— Spot— Tomcod— Sea Eel. 



Illustrations 



FACING 
PAGE 



Popular Fresh -Water Game Fish . . . 128 

Small-mouth Bass — Large-mouth Bass — 
Rock Bass — Grayling. 

Popular Fresh -Water Game Fish . . . 158 

Mascalonge — Pike — Pickerel — Wall-eye. 

Popular Bottom Fresh -Water Fish . . . 204 

Sunapee Trout — Loch Leven Trout — 
Leather Carp — Sunfish. 



Maps 



Charts 



Distribution of fresh-water fish on North 
American Continent .... 127 

Distribution of salt-water fish on the 
Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf Coasts . .141 



Showing the habitat, tackle, time of day, 

bait and season of: ' 

Popular salt-water fish . . . 226-227 
Popular fresh-water fish . . , 228-229 

There are many additional illustrations and diagrams in the text, 
drawn by the author. 



THE BOOK OF FISH AND FISHING 



CHAPTER I 

Popular Fresh= Water Game Fish 

SALMON 

First, among game fishes, the salmon is su- 
preme, not only in its gallant resistance and fight- 
ing qualities, but, perhaps, in its value to the hu- 
man race as a highly prized and nutritious food. 
Its beautiful and shapely form, 
Famify *"'''" especially when first taken from the 
water (if a newly run fish), gives its 
captor the greatest pleasure. With pardonable 
pride, as he beholds its shiny, silvery sides, he 
exclaims, every time he lands one, "What a noble 
and brave antagonist!" 

The two most important species are the quin- 
nat salmon of the Pacific, and the Atlantic salmon 
— the latter inhabiting the North Atlantic, and as- 
cending many of the rivers for the purpose of re- 
production. The most southern river in which 
specimens have been obtained, is the Poto- 
Salmon^ mac. It occurs in small numbers in the 
Delaware and in the Hudson, but in these 
three rivers its presence is the result of arti- 
ficial introduction. Its occurrence in Lake Cham- 
1 



Fish and Fishing 

plain, the St. Lawrence River, and tributaries of 
Lake Ontario, is due also to modern fish culture. 

The State of Maine has many ideal salmon riv- 
ers, and a few of these fish are caught; but a thou- 
sand times less than should be, for conditions show 
a most discouraging state of affairs. The Kenne- 
bec River, which is an ideal salmon stream, was 
robbed of fish by the building of a dam at Au- 
gusta. The Penobscot is fast going down under 
the illegal fishing and pollution of its water from 
various factories near its mouth. The St. Croix 
(partly in Canada) though not so bad, is growing 
worse. The Connecticut River has been stocked 
several times, but when the salmon returned to 
it, they were all caught by the netters at the 
mouth, in direct violation of the law. So the 
salmon angler finds that the British possessions in 
North America undoubtedly afford the greatest 
field for fishing in the future. 

Beginning at the south in the River St. Law- 
rence, and farther east in Nova Scotia, which has 
a number of small but fair streams, and following 
the north shore of the river and of the 
Gulf of St. Lawrence up to the Strait 
of Belle Isle, there are scores of tributary rivers 
abounding in salmon. The Miramiche and Ne- 
pisiguit are probably the best of those south of the 
Restigouche in the Bay of Chaleurs. This river 
is a large and beautiful stream, running back be- 
tween the Province of Quebec and New Bruns- 
wick, a distance of over two hundred miles, with 
four large tributaries, the Metapedia, the Upsal- 
2 



Popular Fresh=Water Game Fish 

quitch, the Patapedia, and the Kedgwick. It flows 
in a generally north-east direction and has in its 
entire course no falls or rapids which a canoe can- 
not surmount. 

The Restigouche Salmon Club has purchased a 
large portion of the best angling on the river, and 
the rod fishing yields about twelve hundred salmon 
and grilse yearly, which is far below its probable 
production if netting were not so prevalent. For 
this reason, the average size of the fish is dimin- 
ishing. On the other side of the Bay of Chaleurs 
is the Grand Bonaventure and the famous Grand 
Cascapedia — both full of large fish, some being 
taken of over fifty pounds; but the average is 
probably twenty-five pounds. 

Only eight fish per day are allowed to be taken 
by one rod. The St. Anne des Monts is another 
good river of the north shore, where fish run large. 
The Grand, Dartmouth, and others in 
Salmon^ the Gaspe district are good, and the fish 
are of fair average size, with some large 
ones. The Godbout, on the St. Lawrence, is a 
remarkable river — a catch of fifteen to twenty 
salmon to one rod in a day is not unusual. The 
fish are small in the Godbout (but so is the river, 
which is very broken), and fished almost, if not 
entirely, from the shore. In 1901, three rods 
took in twelve days two hundred and seventeen 
salmon. 

The Moisie and the Mingan, farther down, are 
good, and the fish large, averaging over twenty- 
two pounds. The Natashquan is a good-sized 



Fish and Fishing 

stream full of small fish, from eight to twelve 
pounds. This river marks about the eastern limit 
of the rivers which are at all well known. The 
Esquimaux River, in the Strait of Belle Isle, is 
probably the greatest known salmon river. It is 
very large and long, without heavy falls to pre- 
vent the salmon from ascending to its upper 
waters. 

The vast, practically unexplored region north 
of the Strait of Belle Isle extending up to Davis 
Strait and to the West — including a thousand 
miles of shore line of Hudson Bay — is undoubtedly 
full of salmon rivers, where a fly has never been 
cast. There are vague rumors of enormous quan- 
tities of salmon in the rivers just north of the Strait 
of Belle Isle — the Hamilton being especially 
spoken of. 

At the present rate of destruction, those wanting 
good salmon fishing are quite likely to have to 
look as far as these remote regions for it, in the 
next twenty-five years. What good fishing there is 
close at hand is hard to get and very expensive. 

Of the Pacific salmons, the quinnat salmon is 
the largest and most prized. It is known under 
various names, such as the chinook, tyee, king 
salmon, Columbia River, and Sacramento Salmon. 
It ranges from Monterey, California, to Alaska 
and eastern Asia, ascending rivers in some cases 
fifteen hundred miles, or farther, from the sea. 
It is the largest of the salmon family — individuals 
weighing one hundred pounds, and upward of five 
feet in length, being on record, taken from the 
4 




POPULAR FRESH-WATER GAME FISH 



Popular Fresh=Water Game Fish 

Yukon and other rivers. The flesh of this salmon 
is paler than the red salmon, but it is superior in 
flavor to all others and very valuable for canning, 
salting, and smoking. 

The quinnat is first seen in Monterey Bay as 
early as January, and many are caught by anglers 
for several months while the fish are frequenting 
this rendezvous and becoming fat on small fish 
preparatory to entering the Golden Gate and be- 
ginning their long and last journey up the Sacra- 
mento, which stream many have entered by Feb- 
ruary. 

In March this fish is seen in the Columbia, but 
not until May docs it become abundant. It seeks 
the shores of southern Alaska in May, and prob- 
ably reaches the Yukon the latter part of June. 
The runs continue for four to six months in south- 
ern waters, while in northern Alaska the running 
season is very short, not exceeding six weeks. 

The other species of the Pacific salmons — but 
of lesser value — are the blue-back salmon, hump- 
back, silver, dog, and the steelhead salmon. The 
latter, while in reality a trout, is popularly re- 
garded as a salmon. It feeds freely in fresh water 
and does not die in the streams after spawning, but 
returns to the sea. It is a general favorite on ac- 
count of its size, beauty, gameness, and food value, 
and will be mentioned with the trout. 

The ouananiche is a fierce-fighting, fresh water 
understudy of the Atlantic salmon, often wrong- 
fully termed landlocked. Its home is in Lake 
St. John, Province of Quebec, and at the outlet 
5 



Fish and Fishing 

which forms the River Saguenay; it also thrives in 
many of the rivers that flow into the Gulf of St. 
Lawrence and in the rivers of Labrador. 

This fish loves rapid and turbulent waters, and 
because of the life it leads, it is beyond doubt, for 
its size, the most vigorous and athletic fish that 
inhabits northern waters. It will leap from the 
water seven or eight times after being hooked, and 
with the greatest rapidity rush down below one 
hundred feet. A fish weighing three to four 
pounds will make a fight lasting from ten to fifteen 
minutes. 

Its food consists mostly of flies, which it picks 
from out of the foam that lies in blankets, some- 
times forty to sixty feet in extent, washed down by 
the swirling flood moving round and round below 
the rapids. In such pools the ouananiche is 
fished for with fine but strong tackle, and nothing 
but flies are used. 

In the fall it takes a small minnow, but the cream 
of the fishing is from June 15 th to July 15th. At 
the Grande Decharge, it is fished for from a canoe 
handled by two Canadian guides, or, on some of 
the small islands that rise up steep from the water, 
the angler casts his flies from the rocks above and 
the guide nets them. Twenty fish is the limit on 
one rod per day, and they weigh from four to 
seven pounds, the average size being two pounds, 
though specimens have been caught up to nine 
pounds. 

The Sebago salmon, of Maine, is a similar fresh- 
water species and is found in the lake of that name. 
6 



Popular Fresh=Water Game Fish 

It attains a weight of fifteen pounds but averages 
from eight to ten pounds. It does not manifest 
the fighting qualities of the ouananiche owing to 
the quiet waters it inhabits. 

MASCALONGE AND PIKE 

A pecuHar trait of the pike family is to lie in 
wait for its prey, partly hidden by weeds or logs 
and shelving rocks. They are the most voracious 
fish that inhabit our inland waters. 

Chief among them is the famous mascalonge, 
which is a game fish of high rank, and its large size 
makes it a great prize, as it reaches a length of 
seven and a half feet and attains a maximum 
weight of about one hundred pounds. 

There are two species — the spotted and un- 
spotted mascalonge — the former being abundant 
in the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence, and widely 
distributed through southern Canada. The un- 
spotted or Chautauqua mascalonge is confined 
to the lake of that name, and a few localities in the 
Ohio Valley. 

It is now being successfully propagated by arti- 
ficial cultivation and, no doubt, in the near future 
will be more widely distributed. It grows to a 
weight of fifty pounds and though not so large as 
the spotted species, in my opinion (and I have 
caught both), it is in every way a superior fish, 
both in its gallant fighting and beautiful coat, as 
well as for its edible qualities. This opinion exactly 
coincides with that of Dr. Tarleton H. Bean, to 
7 



Fish and Fishing 

whom anglers are much indebted for his intelli- 
gent planting of the fish raised at the hatchery at 
Bemus Point. 

Both species devour every living creature that 
comes in sight, preying upon all other fishes, frogs 
and amphibians generally, ducklings and other 
small aquatic birds and mammals, as well as the 
young of their own kind. 

The pike family are most remarkable for the 
large size of the head which is flattened and the 
lower jaw which projects. They have a terrible ar- 
ray of sharp teeth of assorted sizes, and on the edge 
of each side of the lower jaw are several long, 
bayonet-shaped fangs — in the larger fish nearly 
an inch long, some of them curved inward like 
the tusks of a boar. 

It is solitary in its habits, lying concealed among 
the water plants and reeds at the edges of the 
streams or channels where other fish are likely 
to pass by, or standing motionless beside shelv- 
ing rocks or banks, in clear lakes, whence it 
darts upon any luckless fish that approaches its 
lair. With mouth tightly closed, it springs like 
a thunder-bolt till very near its victim ; 
Fe^ ^^ then, opening wide its immense jaws, 
it brings them together with a sudden 
snap, sometimes cutting its prey into two pieces, 
always taking the fish or lure sideways. Then it 
slowly returns to its hiding-place to gorge. There 
is no special time when they take their food; they 
are always feeding. The number of fishes swal- 
lowed and wounded by mascalonge during a single 
8 



Popular Fresh=Water Game Fish 

summer is almost incredible, most of them fish 
large and old enough to reproduce their kind. 

The great northern pike is of exactly the same 
disposition, and so, in a lesser degree, is the pick- 
erel, except that neither the pike nor pickerel has 
^.. been known to rise above the surface of 
the water after being hooked. All the 
species are wandering, savage tyrants, preferring 
to lie in solitary places, waiting, ever ready to 
pounce on their victim. 

The range of the pike in America is from Lake 
Champlain, the Great Lake region, and 
the upper Mississippi River, north to 
Alaska. In many of the large lakes of northern 
New York, especially Lake George, pike are com- 
mon. They also grow to a large size 
Weight^ at the outlet of Lake St. John and the 
Saguenay River; specimens up to forty 
pounds are recorded there, at times. 

All over Canada, especially in the tributaries 
of the St. John, this fish is caught in large quantities 
in nets, as well as on lines. Its fight, when capt- 
ured, is not so prolonged or persistent as the 
mascalonge. It resorts to no devices to elude 
capture, but makes fierce lunges in long straight 
lines, sometimes on the surface, at others down 
below; but a heavy fish of twenty pounds requires 
considerable strength of arm and tackle to hold it 
in subjection. It has the same habits in its food, 
in regard to place and time of feeding, as the 
mascalonge. 

In its general form, the pickerel resembles a 
9 



Fish and Fishing 

small pike. Though it is more slender, it grows 

sometimes to two feet in length, and weighs up 

1 *^ seven or eight pounds, though its 

usual weight is three or four pounds. 

Its range extends from Maine along the coastwise 

streams, to Florida and Louisiana. It is so com- 

mon that it is difficult to say where it is 

not found. In all the lakes and ponds 

of Central Michigan and New York it is fished 

for by a host of admiring anglers. To stand up 

in a boat that is properly handled and throw a 

trolling spoon along the borders of the lily-pads 

where the pickerel hide is considered excellent 

sport. In the crystal clear water, the whirling, 

glittering spoon is in sight every moment, and the 

fish may be seen when it rushes straight at the 

lure. Wherever the pickerel is placed, it at once 

makes a home, breeding rapidly, soon becoming 

abundant, and growing in size according to the 

amount of food at hand. What it lacks in game 

qualities is made up in the quantities by which it 

is taken, and thousands of anglers are content 

and take pleasure in such fishing of a common 

„ . .^ kind. On a still smaller scale, its habits 
nabits p p 1 

and manner of feedmg are similar to those 

of the pike. It is a deadly enemy to the young 

of brook trout, dace, chub, and various minnows. 

BLACK BASS 

The black bass enjoys, without doubt, the 
widest popularity of all the game fish of North 
10 



Popular Fresh=Water Game Fish 

America. The trout arc kno^\^l to a much smaller 
number of people for the reason that bass are 
abundant in the most densely populated portions 
of the United States, while the human neighbors 
of the trout are comparatively few. There are 
two species so very much alike that there is prac- 
tically but one point of difference — the size of the 
mouth — and their habits are identical. The small- 
mouthed black bass is a fish of the East and North 
from western New Hampshire to Manitoba and 
southward to South Carolina and the northern 
Gulf States to Arkansas. The large-mouthed 
ranges from Manitoba southward to the Gulf 
States and spreads through the latter to Texas 
and Florida. It abounds in all the rivers of the 
Southern States. So widely have both species 
been distributed within the last few years that it 
is difficult to mention a section of North America 
where this brace of splendid game fish may not be 
found abundant. 

Its popularity may be inferred by the remark- 
able number and variety of names it goes under. 
The large-mouthed is known in the Lake region 
as the "Oswego bass," in Kentucky it is called 
"jumper," in Indiana "moss bass," in the South- 
ern States "trout," though in North Carolina it 
is called "chub," in Alabama "mountain trout." 
Many other names are applied to one or both 
species. One of the pet names among anglers is 
"bronze-backer." Both species are born fighters 
on the line, as well as in the water, among their 
own and other kinds. For its size, it is the most 
11 



Fish and Fishing 

active leaper, barring the ouananiche, of all our 
game fish. 

In form and color it is about the ugliest game 
fish, the caudal, rear dorsal, and anal fins being 
out of proportion to what otherwise would be a 
shapely form; nevertheless, the black bass fills 
a most important space in the angler's sport, for 
if you hook even a two-pound bass in a running 
stream, you are at once aware you have engaged 
a fish and a jolly "kicker" at that. Just as soon 
as it feels the barb, out of the water it shoots, giv- 
ing the rod, reel, and angler such a lively time that 
one cannot but admire its pluck even unto the 
moment you rap it on the head. 

Even in quiet lakes, its leaps and surges are 
admirable, where otherwise most trout are tame. 
Yet, with all this, in fishing streams where both 
are common, when I hook a bass I always regret 
it is not a trout. Some writers — one especially — 
have made a sort of demi-god of the bass; but 
few anglers who have opportunities to fish for 
salmon — both sea and landlocked, as well as trout, 
even brook trout — will leave them for the bass. 

The reason, I suppose, is that bass are not al- 
ways willing to take a fly, and one is more sure to 
get them on live bait. The ordinary size of an 
adult fish is two to three pounds, though specimens 
have been taken up to eight pounds. In Florida, 
the large-mouthed grows larger. Eight-pounders 
are not unusual in the St. Johns River; specimens 
have been recorded up to twenty pounds, caught 
in the lake at Gainesville, Florida. The bass do 
12 



Popular Fresh=Water Game Fish 

not seem to depend elosely on temperature. Hav- 
ing no opportunity of avoiding the cold, they sink 
to deeper parts of their watery domain at the ap- 
proach of winter, and if the chill penetrates to 
their retreat, their vitality is diminished, their 
blood flows more slowly, they feel no need of food, 
and forthwith enter into a state of hibernation. 
In deep lakes they sink beneath, below the reach 
of surface chills, and are sometimes caught with 
a hook through the ice. In the South their ac- 
tivity never ceases. Any one who has seen black 
bass feeding, must have been impressed with their 
immense power of movement. They soon be- 
come masters of the waters in which they are 
placed; sunfish, chub, dace, trout, young salmon, 
and even the ravenous pickerel, are devoured, as 
are also the young of their own kind. They feed 
at the surface on moths, flies, and frogs; 
Food*^^ they turn over stones in search of craw- 
fish and insect larvse. In their stomachs 
have been found mice, young rats, snakes, and 
small aquatic birds. With such a varied menu, it 
is no wonder that the angler finds them at the 
proper season equally eager for fly-hook, trolling 
spoon, or live bait, and ever ready for a struggle 
which puts the rod and line to a severe test. They 
are fished for at night, as well as day, so that it 
may be assumed they are always feeding, the early 
morning hours being considered (next to late even- 
ing) the best time for angling. They are active, 
roving, merry fish, continually rising from the 
bottom to the surface, at times rising above it in 
13 



Fish and Fishing 

pure wanton play. The small-mouthed bass 
thrive in comparatively clear, cool, and rocky or 
gravelly streams, and in lakes or ponds supplied by 
such streams or having cold bottom springs. In 
lakes of the latter character, it coexists with large- 
mouthed bass in many instances. In such cases, 
the small-mouthed will be found usually at the 
inlet, or about springs, and the large-mouthed at 
the outlet or in sheltered, grassy situations. One 
of the features of the bass is its domestic habits. 
The male and female pair off and 
together they form a nest on the bottom 
of gravel or coarse sand, in very rocky streams, 
on a flat rock. The male fish does the work of 
preparation by scouring with fins and tail a space 
about twice his length in diameter, forming a 
shallow, saucer-shaped depression, in which the 
female deposits her eggs, which are fertilized by 
the male, who hovers near by. The nest is care- 
fully guarded from intruders by the 
Bulldine P^^^'^ts until the eggs hatch, the period 
of incubation being from one to two 
weeks, according to the temperature of the water. 
The fry are then watched and brooded by the male 
fish for a week or so, when the young seek the shel- 
ter of weeds and grasses in shallow water. Prob- 
ably fifty per cent, of the young are later devoured 
by adult fish. Many are the methods pursued 
in its capture, trolling with artifical lures, and with 
live bait, casting with the fly, and with bait, bobb- 
ing, skittering, and still fishing — all are the same 
to its hungry and ever-ready maw. 
14 



Popular Frcsh=Water Game Fish 

Another species similar in appearance is the 
rock bass, or red eye, also the warmouth, the 
calico or strawberry bass, and the crappie, all 
found in the same waters as the black bass; but 
they are of little or no importance to the angler in 
comparison. The warmouth (called a perch in 
some localities) for its size is a gamy fish, so is the 
rock bass; both the latter rising to the fly, at times, 
but so do many of the common fishes, not game, 
to be treated in a separate chapter under that 
name. 

GRAYLING 

The American grayling, like the mascalonge, 

is confined to the Middle Western States, more 

particularly to Montana and Michigan; notwith- 

standing the many efforts to plant them in 

Eastern waters, including those hatched 

and shipped from Bozeman by Dr. J. A. Henshall 

in 1898, they have resulted in no apparent good. I 

know of no place in Eastern waters worthy of 

being called "fishing" for grayling. The family 

consists of three species: Michigan, Mon- 

tana, and Arctic grayling, the latter having 

the great dorsal fin much larger and more highly 

colored, the two former being very similar in both 

appearance and game qualities. It is a graceful, 

trimly built, and delicate-looking fish, colored more 

like "mother of pearl " than any fish I know. 

Its habit is to lie at the bottom of deep, 

slow-moving, clear cold water, and it rises to the 

fly many times, swiftly darting back without taking 

15 



Fish and Fishing 

it. The leaping of the grayling is extremely grace- 
ful, both on the hook and in play, when not dis- 
turbed. As a gamy fighter it is equal to the trout, 
though it takes the fly much more quietly, most 
often while the fly is under water; then, in a 
flash, turns, like a somersault, fighting every inch 
its hardest to get back to the bottom. In size it 
rarely grows more than two pounds in weight, 
the average being about a pound, but, with 
careful angling, quite a number may be caught 
from the same pool, as they invariably lie in schools 
together. Its food is mostly insects and their 
larvae, small minnows, crustaceans, and other 
small creatures. They coexist with the red-throat 
trout, each seeking out such portions of the 
streams as are best suited to them. In fishing 
for grayling the smallest possible flies 
Fishfng should be used. One, or two, can be 
placed on the cast, which should be 
exceedingly fine. Good flies are black gnat, 
coachman, gray hackle, black hackle, iron-blue 
dun, red ant, and cinnamon. The rod, line, and 
leader can be exactly similar to those used for trout 
fishing. Cast down stream or cast across stream, 
letting the fly float down to the foot of the pool. 
When the fly has passed by, the fish darts up 
swiftly, and back to the bottom, often a number 
of times, seemingly as if afraid to touch it. But 
it is game, and the fly is at last taken; the same 
method is pursued ; up goes the great fin to plunge 
it downward, fighting stoutly to get free. 

A good deal of careful work is necessary in 
16 



Popular Fresh=Water Game Fish 

handling and playing the grayling. Gently keep 
the line taut all the time or it will surely get off; 
the slightest jerk will lose it, the flies 
Game and being so small, and its lips somewhat 
Traits tender; for that reason many fish get 

away. The grayling repeatedly breaks 
water after being hooked, and it makes an excel- 
lent fight beneath the surface, being much aided 
in its resistance, by its tall dorsal fin. 

The Michigan grayling may be found in the 
Au Sable, Manistee, Marquette, Jordan, Pigeon, 
and other rivers in the northern part of that State. 
It may also be found in the river Boyne and Pine 
Lake. The Montana grayling is found only in 
the tributaries of the Missouri River, 
Found above the great falls; in Sheep and Ten- 
derfoot creeks, tributaries of Smith River, 
in the Little Belt Mountains, and the three 
forks of the Missouri — the Gallatin, Madison and 
Jefferson rivers. But the ideal home of the Mon- 
tana grayling is in several tributaries at the head 
of the Red Rock Lake, in the upper reaches of 
the Madison, where the water is rapid, though 
unbroken; also the Beaver Creek, in the upper 
canon, is an ideal stream. The best season for 
fishing is in September, October, and November. 

TROUT 

Next in order to the salmon is the large and 
important group of trout and charrs. There 
are twenty-four species and subspecies of salmon 
17 



Fish and Fishing 

trout, and thirteen varietal forms of the charrs. 
It is only possible to mention one or more of the 
most popular of the various species of 
Faniilv trout, the subspecies being similar in habit 
and character as well as the method of 
angling for them. For more detailed accounts the 
reader should consult volumes devoted entirely 
to them. 

The American cut-throat, or Columbia River 
trout (Salmo clarkii), ranges in the coastwise 
streams of Puget Sound, south to Elk River, Cali- 
fornia, and its various forms eastward to the head- 
waters of the Rio Grande and the Utah Basin. 
The habits of the cut-throat are similar to those 
of its Eastern brother, the jontinalis. Wherever 
a pool exists, created by an offshoot of the main 
stream, wherein a shelving rock or overhanging 
trees form a sheltering or shady nook, a single 
cut-throat of good size is found, sovereign of the 
domain from which it drives the grayling and 
whitefish. In the larger pools, caused by the 
subsidence of the current in deeper water, it ap- 
pears to live in harmony with these fish. Wher- 
ever the cut-throat lives within access to salt water, 
it doubtless ranges seaward as far as the salmon. 
Under these conditions, a silvery coating is as- 
sumed, and the black spots disappear, leaving 
but few traces of its fresh- water garb. When taken 
in salt water, it is found to be of increased size, 
upward of twenty-five pounds, and is generally 
called by market men and anglers the *' salmon 
trout." The cut-throat is an omnivorous feeder, 
18 




POPULAR FRESH-WATER GAME FISH 



Popular Fresh=Water Game Fish 

minnows, insects, worms of all kinds, grasshop- 
pers, fresh meat; and, above all, the artificial fly, 
when properly and skilfully manipulated, is most 
attractive, for it is at all times, when the water is 
clear, a surface feeder, though not particular as 
to color or form of the lure presented to it. The 
angler, visiting the native waters of this fish, needs 
only to stock his fly book with flies used in luring 
the Eastern brook trout. If he visits the Yellow- 
stone or any of the large rivers containing this fish, 
it would be well to have a fly rod not less than 
eight ounces, as the fish attains to the weight of 
six or seven pounds. A subspecies is found in the 
Yellowstone River adjacent to Livingstone, Mon- 
tana. It is a typical trout water, where the fish 
take the fly viciously with deep and long surges 
to escape the hook. 

The Rio Grande trout is more familiar to the 
anglers of the Middle West, particularly those 
residing in Colorado. It is an exceptionally game 
fish and a choice feeder, takes the fly greedily and 
fights hard under restraint. In the opinion of a 
resident angler it is *'the best fish that swims in 
any waters of the earth." There is little differ- 
ence between the Rio Grande and Colorado River 
trout. The latter seems to have attractjpi the^ 
attention of the anglers of that section to a greater 
extent. It is the objective of nearly all their out- 
ings, and its game qualities are heralded in every 
sportsman's journal throughout the country. It 
grows to a weight of over nine pounds, though the 
average is much less; but it takes the artificial 
19 



Fish and Fishing 

fly with avidity, particularly the coachman, black 
hackle, June-spinner and the black prince. The 
best month for fishing is July. 

One of the most interesting of the salmon trout 
is the Lake Tahoe, or silver trout. This fish 
grows to a weight of twenty-five to thirty pounds 
and spawns in the depth of the lake. It is prob- 
ably sought for by a greater number of anglers 
than any other fish of the Pacific slope waters. 
Being reached in a few hours from San Francisco, 
the resident anglers of that city make Lake Tahoe 
the Mecca of their outings, and no visiting angler 
rounds up his fishing tour unless he essays these 
big trout. 

The hotels at the lake are crowded all through 
the season, for the fish are large and numerous. 
The Lake Tahoe trout is found in the following 
lakes and rivers: Lakes Tahoe, Pyramid, Webber, 
Donner, Independence, and in the rivers Truckee, 
Humboldt, Carson, and in most of the streams 
of the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada. 

The steel-head trout {Salmo gairdneri), also 
known as the hard-head, is a large sea trout 
growing to a weight of twenty pounds, or more, 
and is migratory like the salmon, ascending rivers 
to spawn many hundreds of miles into the State 
of Idaho, and into other sections. It inhabits 
coastwise streams from British Columbia south to 
Santa Barbara, California, and those west of the 
Cascade Range. It is very abundant in the Lower 
Columbia, the Russian, and Klamath rivers. Its 
edible qualities are inferior to those of the same 
20 



Popular Fresh= Water Game Fish 

family east of the Alleghany Mountains. But 
if inferior as food fishes, the steel-heads possess 
all the game qualities of Eastern trout. They are 
fly takers when in the streams on shallow ledges 
of rock in the lower waters. On taking the natural 
bait the steel-head is apt to surge deep and strong, 
but when fastened on the fly for which it rises, it 
is an acrobat, leaping repeatedly from the water. 
These aerial flights lead the angler to believe that 
it is closely allied to the rainbow trout, the only 
trout west of the Rocky Mountains — with the ex- 
ception of the stream steel-head — that will rise 
and leap frantically into the air. 

The rainbow trout {Salmo irideus) are typical 
game fishes of the salmon family, and are equal 
in fighting qualities, when found in streams of 
moderate size and depth, to the leaping salmon 
of Lake St. John. It is one of the most muscular 
and resourceful of fishes for its size, rising freely 
to the fly, leaping on a slack line, and fighting lit- 
erally to the death. 

In Eastern waters, the rainbow appears to 
have acquired increased strength, and certainly 
greater leaping powers. It is also the hardiest of 
the salmon trout, for it will thrive in water of a 
higher temperature than is suitable for other 
species. Though a gormand in its appetite, it is 
cleanly in feeding, liking best the live minnoAV or 
insect on the surface. A swimming grasshopper 
is irresistible, and no fish rises so freely to a cast 
of artificial flies. 

There are five subspecies of rainbows, the 
21 



Fish and Fishing 

most prominent being "the brook trout of west- 
ern Oregon," and the "McCloud River rainbow 
trout," from which stock the Eastern and Middle 
West were first stocked in 1870. 

Another important subspecies is the Shasta 
rainbow, which rises freely to any of the stand- 
ard flies and grows to a stream weight of five or 
six pounds. It yields exceptional sport in waters 
where it is new to the angler's rod. The dressing 
of feathers which it prefers, when tied on No. 10 
sprout hooks, are those of the March brown, 
coachman and brown hackle. The habitat of 
this trout is in the streams of the Sierra Nevada, 
from Mt. Shasta southward, but it is best known 
in the McCloud River. Two other rainbows 
are the Kern River trout, and the golden trout 
of Mt. Whitney, California, both being of peculiar 
interest from the fact that they are found in no 
other water than the Kern River and its tribu- 
taries. Both are very game, taking the fly on the 
surface and fighting hard by deep and long surges. 
The Mt. Whitney trout is the most beautiful in 
color of any salmon trout. 

Of the three foreign species of salmon trout 
transplanted to American waters, the best known 
by anglers is the German or brown trout {Salmo 
fario), which was planted in 1883. An unpardon- 
able mistake has been made in planting them in 
small streams where they feed on and destroy the 
native fontinalis. Being able to exist and thrive 
in water of a higher temperature than is adapted 
to other trout they should never be placed in 
22 



Popular Fresh=Water Game Fish 

streams which the latter inhabit. In the waters 
of the Eastern States the brown trout grows very 
rapidly, averaging nearly a pound increase in 
weight in a year. It is in its prime for the rod from 
the 1st of May to the middle of September, during 
which period it rises freely to the fly, better in the 
evening than in the brighter hours of the day, a 
habit equally prevalent among other trout. I 
have had them repeatedly leap above the surface 
on the fly in the swift running waters of the 
Beaverkill (N. Y.), and have caught them up to 
three pounds in weight, living in the same pools 
as the small-mouthed bass; indeed, I have more 
than once caught a double of brown trout and 
bass. The flies most luring are a small silver 
doctor, red spinner, and beaverkill. I have caught 
many brown trout of large size in deep pools on 
the worm, phantom minnow, and silver soldier 
spinner; in fact it will go savagely for pretty nearly 
any lure. 

Another foreigner is the Lake Leven trout 
(Salmo levenensis). It grows to the size of four 
pounds but the average is much less. It is about 
equal in fighting qualities to our native trout, 
rising well to the artificial fly. 

The last of the foreign species is the salmon 
trout (Salmo trutta). Various popular names 
have been given to this fish, such as guiniad, 
bull trout, and salmon trout. Its habits are sim- 
ilar to our own native sea trout. It is migratory, 
and is found running up streams emptying in the 
Atlantic. It is a game fighter, but more apt to 
23 



Fish and Fishing 

take a troll of natural minnows or an artificial 
phantom than the fly, however carefully cast be- 
fore it. 

CHARR-TROUT 

The charrs are more highly organized than the 
salmon trout; they live and thrive in wild waters 
of a temperature not more than 65°, and in what- 
ever water they may be, they constantly seek the 
Charr= higher reaches to spawn. In New 

trout England, Canada, and also along the 

south shore of Long Island, one of these charrs 
{jontinalis), goes down to salt water and feeds, 
grows lusty, getting flesh of a deeper salmon and 
a more robust form, and remains in his new hab- 
itat until the instinct of spawning impels it to 
migrate in the following spring inward and up- 
ward. Other fresh- water fish find a congenial 
habitat in salt water. 

The Lake trout {Cristivomer namaycush), is 
known by many names. In the Great Lake 
region it is called the Mackinaw trout; in the 
Northwest it is known as the namaycush, Sisco- 
wet, in other sections buckskin, togue, forked- 
tail, lunge, tulade, and masamacush. It is a large 
fish, growing to a reputed weight of 100 pounds, 
but the average is about six pounds. The lake 
trout rises to the surface very early in the spring 
and the angler trolls for it on or near the sur- 
face of the water, the fish taking the lure vi- 
ciously, but rarely jumping into the air. It takes 
the spoon well, but the favorite bait is a golden 
24 



Popular Fresh=Water Game Fish 

shiner or carp; the larger the bait the larger the 
fish caught. 

We now come to the most beloved of all charrs, 
the native brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)^ 
the objective quarry for the skilled and the tyro 
in their mountain outings. Its structure is formed 
and fitted for its wild life in the tumultuous moun- 
tain brooks, shaped to breast the rushing rapids 
wherein it poises, self-contained in body, and, 
apparently, in spirit. It will leap over and some- 
times swim up the centre of three feet of water 
of a dam over which a downpour twelve or more 
inches in volume is ceaselessly passing; or it can 
be seen in a quiet pool above the dam disporting, 
and leaping leisurely and lazily from the water. 
No other fish known to anglers possesses habits so 
free from grossness as the brook trout of the East. 
Its primary need is oxygen, and it seeks it in the 
upper reaches of strongly aerated mountain 
streams. There cast a fly, and when hooked, the 
trout seems to know every rift, nook, rooted hold 
of its rock-ribbed environment. In such streams, 
the trout are compelled to forage vigorously and 
industriously for food, and the wear and tear of 
vitality is constantly at work on the muscles; it 
finds little rest where no deep pools abound to 
which the fish can retire for security, repose, and 
digestion. Very different is the life in deep-pool 
lakes; there they feed mostly at the bottom, com- 
ing to the shallows and surface at sundown. 

The Dolly Varden trout (Salvelinus parkei), 
also known as the bull trout, is widely distributed 
25 



Fish and Fishing 

in the Western waters of the Rocky Mountain 
water shed. It is found as far North as Alaska, 
and South to the upper Sacramento River, thence 
eastward to Montana and Idaho waters, and, in 
these places, is called the red-spotted trout, 
malma, Golet, and Oregon charr. None of the 
trout or charrs rise more freely to the artificial fly 
than the Dolly Varden, The Eastern charr, that 
goes to the sea, is the jontiiialis, the Western one 
is the Dolly Varden. The effect of their sojourn 
in salt water is shown in their rapid growth, 
thicker body, and striking change in coloration. 
The Dolly Varden grows to a weight of seven 
pounds, and when taken, as it often is, in a sal- 
mon pool, the angler is apt to mistake its strong 
surges for those of a small but sprightly salmon. 
Perhaps no fish has been a subject of so much 
discussion as the Sunapee trout {Salvelinus al- 
finus aureolus). It is only found in Sunapee 
Lake and Dan Hole, Carroll County, both in New 
Hampshire, and in Flood's Pond, Ellsworth, 
Maine. These waters are very deep and pure, 
and contain large numbers of landlocked smelt 
and crustaceans, upon which the trout feed, 
to such repletion that they do not rise to surface 
food of any kind, certainly, most infrequently, 
if at all, to the artificial fly; but on the trolling 
spoon, or live smelt in still fishing, they show 
grand fighting vigor. The bait should be lowered 
sixty to seventy feet, ground baiting for several 
days before fishing being most fruitful in scores. 



26 



CHAPTER II 

Popular Salt= Water Game Fish 

LEAPING TUNA 

If I were asked to mention the salt-water an- 
gler's paradise, the reply would be, without hesita- 
tion, the beautiful waters of Avalon Bay and the 
Islands of San Clemente, Santa Catalina, and 
Santa Barbara, on the California coast. It is 
there, if anywhere on earth, the true angler may 
see "high ideals in big-fish angling, and fair play 
to the game." He may see *' fishing for tuna, 
tarpon, and the great black sea-bass, the trio which 
are the tiger and elephant trinity of the angling 

world." Yet such monsters are taken 
Fifh ^^ seven-foot rods, made in two 

pieces, and not weighing more than 
twenty-five ounces. On such rods, fish weigh- 
ing 400 pounds have been played and gaffed, after 
tremendous battles where both sides have equal 
chances to win. There the novice learns his task 
at a cost in new tackle that comes high. Even 
the veteran, now and then, to save his life, lets go 
a rod he fain would keep. Angling by such meth- 
ods is but of recent date, according to the author- 
27 



Fish and Fishing 

ity of C. F. Holder, whose influence in hold- 
ing up a high standard of sport is highly com- 
mendable. 

"^ Tuna angling is a modern sport confined so 

far as known, to Santa Catalina, Cahfornia. 

The locality is limited to about four miles of 

coast in the lee of the Island Mountains 

Localftv '^^i*^^ afford several open bays, generally 

smooth, the wind only blowing part of 

the day, thus giving the angler perfect conditions, 

without which tuna fishing would be impossible 

and extremely dangerous. 

"^"^^ The tvma is an ocean wanderer, found in many 

parts of the world, known as the horse mackerel, 

tunny, and great albacore. Everywhere it is 

a terror to the smaller denizens of the deep, 

feeding on blue-fish, menhaden, her- 

the"Tuna ^^^§' ^^ ^^^ Atlantic, gorging itself with 

the great flying fish in the Pacific. For 

centuries it has been caught in great nets in the 

Mediterranean Sea. From the St. Lawrence, 

along the coast of Nova Scotia, down to Cape Cod 

in New Eng- 
land, it is com- 
mon, and at 
times is har- 
pooned by the 
Position before the strike. fishermen. 

Some specimens attain a weight of 1,200 to 1,500 
pounds. 

The "leaping" tuna has been rightly named by 
its champion, Charles F. Holder, author of "Big 




Popular Salt=Water Game Fish 




Game Fishes," to which I am indebted for much 
information in these notes, as I have not, as yet, 
personally had an encounter with 
this fish. 

^The tuna, like the tarpon, is a 
lofty tumbler, leaping gracefully in- 
to the air after its prey, the flying 
fish. Its large size and graceful build, 
with its broad-forked tail, show a 
model of speed ; it is a beautiful fish, 
and when in the water appears to 
be green, but on being landed, the 
upper portion is a bright iridescent 
blue, the under part being grayish sil- 
ver. No more inspiring sight can be 
imagined than a large school of these 
fish. They arrive in immense num- 
bers at Santa Catalina between the 15th of May 
and the 15th of June, and at once divide into 
small companies of fifty to one hundred, 
playing on the surface, moving about in 
triangular form, with their spike dorsal fins out of 
the water. Suddenly, in different sections, may be 
seen a great splash of white spray; dozens of fly- 
ing fish, scattered like gigantic dragon-flies, skim 
along in frightened confusion. This is the first 
signal to a host of impatient anglers who have 
been watching for days for the arrival of the bird 
fish upon which this giant comes from the deep 
ocean for slaughter. 

Such a game fish must needs have special tackle, 
if taken in true sportsman's style, and such tackle, 
29 



striking the fish. 



Its Leap 



Fish and Fishing 

unless of the very best and most expensive make, 
has no chance whatever. Even the boats are 
"designed specially for tuna fishing, being broad- 
beamed launches, built for three persons ; 
Boat*^ two anglers who sit side by side in chairs 
facing the stern and the boatman acting 
as helmsman, gaffer, and engineer of the three, or 
more, horse-power gasoline engine. Overhead is 
an awning which is raised by the gaffer when the 
strike comes; each boat has a flag bearing the 
figure of a tuna which is thrown to the breeze the 
moment the fish is hooked." 

The fish are rarely seen near the mainland, the 
islands, where they feed, being twenty miles from 
shore. Naturally, so active and bold a fish taken 
so far from shore requires good, patient, as well 
as strenuous handling, and the novice 
would do well to make a preliminary trip 
to watch the veterans in their struggle. Anglers 
are now enabled to purchase rods, reels, and lines 
of special make for this fish, similar, and of the 
same character as those used in tarpon fishing, 
though of the two, the tuna being more active 
requires a little stronger tackle. 

The rod may be either of split bamboo, green- 
hart, or noibwood; perhaps one of each would be 
wise and come in useful. They all should be from 
seven to eight feet long, made in two parts, a butt 
and tip, the latter of medium pliability, not 
so stiff that it will not bend, nor yet so pli- 
able tha't a heavy fish cannot be lifted. They 
should have double-bell guides, silver mountings, 
30 




POPULAR SALT-WATER GAME FISH 



Popular Salt=Water Game Fish 

and weigh about twenty-five ounces, each rod 
being provided with an extra tip. 

A number of rehable makers are now supplying 
special tuna reels, some having excellent ideas that 
others lack. It is a question of taste. A good 
„ . reel costs from $30 up, these, of course, 

Reds 

being perfect machines, adjusted so well 
that a w^hirl will cause the handle to run for some 
time, and they are not likely to fall apart during a 




Baited double hook. 

hard fight. It should have a capacity of 300 yards 
of Cuttyhunk line, when wet, with a drag to prevent 
overrunning; and attached to the lower crossbar 
there should be a leather pad lined with moose 
hide. The brake should never be used unless the 
line is wet, as the friction will burn the line. The 
reel should be perfectly fast to the rod. No de- 
vice where it slips into a socket will do; a loose reel 
and the game is over; so have it lashed to the rod 
perfectly immovable. Concerning the necessary 
lines, choose one overstrong, because con- 
fidence in the capture of the fish is greatly 
to be desired. All anglers know that "doubtful 
feeling," when a fish is going at a ripping speed, 
and then all of a sudden makes a bound into the 
air. The "confidence" in the line's strength 
31 



Fish and Fishing 

makes the playing more free, and the mind is at 
rest. For that reason choose No. 21 or 24 Cutty- 
hunk, tested to pull forty-two pounds to forty-eight 
pounds dead-weight. By such a line the tuna has 
been known to pull a heavy boat ten miles. The 
leader can be six or seven feet in length, of phos- 
phor-bronzed wire, and the next ten feet of line 
should be doubled, as it is liable to chafe on the 
back of the fish in a long struggle. 

Every angler has his choice knot in which to 




Hm^ 



Baited single hook. 

tie the line to leader, but a strong, sure and safe 
one is absolutely necessary; the same choice is 
maintained regarding hooks, though the 
favorites are a Van Vleck or an O'Shaugh- 
nessy, the latter a No. 10/0. Between hook and 
line there should be three strong brass swivels. 

The best, indeed the only, bait used is a large 
flying fish hooked in various ways according to 
. the angler's fancy. The tuna always strikes 
at the eye of the bait, so that most anglers 
hook the bait through the lips with the barb point- 
ing upward; then sew up the mouth to make 
the fish run smoothly. 

Everything being made ready, the fisherman 
starts for the ground before daylight ; others follow 
the schools at all times. Many consider a rising 
32 



Popular Salt=Water Game Fish 

tide best, but like all game fish, the tuna has its 
off and on times for taking the lure cast before 

it on its onward rushes for the flying 
Bait*"^ prey. Sometimes the water swarms with 

them on the feed, but they will not strike. 
The advantage of being among them when the fly- 
ing fish leaps from the water, with the tuna after 
it, is great, just as when a trout leaps for the 
natural fly and an artificial fly is cast in its place. 




Way to bait hook. 

V But when the bait is snapped up, the game has 
begun, though hooked is not landed; like the tar- 
pon, many are hooked and not boated; while the 
reel is heard to sing such a tune as no other fish 
can make; and so the battle rages on equal terms, 
sometimes for hours, and miles are cut through the 
water at a spanking rate before the gamy fish is 
brought alongside. By no means subdued 
or conquered, it lashes the water with its 
broad tail, even at the time it slides into the boat, 
fighting continuously from the beginning to the 
time the gaff goes home. Many a fish is lost at 
that critical moment, and a cool, business-like 
gaffer is a decided advantage in tuna fishing; for a 
more well equipped adversary the angler cannot 
imagine, nor does he wish for such, unless en- 
33 



Fish and Fishing 

dowed with more than average strength, nerve, 
and endurance. 



TARPON 

Tarpon fishing with rod and reel is a modern 
sport of comparatively recent date; twenty years 
ago no attempt had been made to take it by this 
method. To-day, angling for this magnificent 
fish has become an established recreation in the 
famous resorts where 'they abound; many clubs 
have been formed in which members have strict 
rules whereby tackle shall not exceed that used 
in other game fishing. The first tarpon 
Takmg taken in this way was by Wm. S. Jones, 
of Philadelphia, at the Indian River Inlet. 
It weighed 130 pounds and was six feet in length, 
fighting the angler over two hours before it was 
brought to gaff. The incident aroused much in- 
terest among anglers all over the country, and 
Jupiter Bay soon became a pilgrimage of deter- 
mined fishermen bent on trying their luck on so 
formidable a foe. That they were there, ready 
to receive them, was proved, and a season rarely 
passes by, that the total catch does not foot up 
300 to 400 fish. 

This Indian River, so called, is in reality a 
beautiful lagoon, or inland sea, of varying depth 
and width, fairly alive with fish; the river bed in 
parts is a solid mass of oysters and other shell-fish, 
but the great attraction that draws the tarpon, 
sharks, and other monsters, is the vast shoals of 
34 



Popular Salt=Water Game Fish 

mullet upon which they feed. All down the river, 
from the mouth of the St. Lucie past Fort Pierce, 

I saw these lively mullet, like little streaks 
RiveT^ of molten silver, shoot above the surface 

of the glassy water. Sometimes I observed 
a great dark form dash away from our sailboat 
driving the little mullet into the air, hundreds at 
a time. The Indian River inlet is, at the mouth of 
Jupiter Bay, not over a mile in width, but in the 
deep blue water one sees great monsters wallow- 
ing, very few feet from the shore. Lake Worth 
lies but five miles southward; from there down to 
Miami, round the peninsula, to Fort Myers, and 
Tampa, the tarpon is found in its greatest abun- 
dance. Other localities made famous 
by anglers are Captiva Pass, Boca 
Grande Pass, Marco, Naples, Pine Island, and 
Homasossa. On the Louisiana coast the tarpon 
is called the grande ecaille ; along the Texas shore 
the tarpon, and savanilla. The tarpon is a 
migratory fish, moving north along the coast of 
Mexico up to Louisiana. They appear around 

the Florida coast early in February, 
Migration . . . ,, . , .*' 

mcreasmg rapidly m numbers m 

March, April, and May, entering rivers sometimes 
ten miles from the mouth. The tarpon first ar- 
rives in Aransas Pass, Texas, early in March, com- 
ing up the coast in schools from the South, journey- 
ing onward along the coast to Galveston and other 
points. From the middle of April they congre- 
gate in that locality in large numbers, but will not 
take the bait, apparently this being their spawning 
35 



Fish and Fishing 

season. The latter part of May and June they 
take the mullet readily. 

^^ The tarpon is said to attain a length of over 
eight feet and a weight of 400 pounds; as a food 
fish it is of no value, and only the larger specimens 
are kept for mounting as trophies, the smaller ones 
being released to grow and be caught on a 
future occasion. Some are so injured during 
the combat that they are retained, and the beautiful 
scales taken off to be sold by dealers as souvenirs. 
Many scales are now used as postal cards, the 
lucky anglers sending them to distant friends, 
writing name, date and weight of fish on the 
inside. 

The tarpon is, in its habits, a wanderer and a 
voracious feeder upon mullet, sardines, and other 
small fry, dashing into thick schools, devouring 
enormous quantities, going into shallow 
bays, and up various rivers in search of 
prey. To the seine fisherman it is a dangerous 
fish to catch, tearing and smashing the nets to 
shreds in its leaps and efforts to escape. A first 
view of the tarpon is a sight not easily forgotten; 
in cruising 'round the Florida coast you see an 
enormous mass of shining light, like a blanket of 
silver dollars; up it goes high into the air, sometimes 
twenty or thirty of them, and you may sail right 
in the midst of them and fish for days before you 
catch one; at other times the first cast is rewarded 
by a magnificent strike that sends the shivers right 
through you. At times there is no question but 
that the sport is dangerous, even hair raising. 
36 



Popular Salt=Water Game Fish 

Incidents are recorded where the fish leap head- 
long into the boat. If first seen at close quarters, 
especially front view, with wide-open 
Sp^o"rf "^"""^ jaws and blood-red gills, it is a most 
sinister object, as ugly a customer as 
one wants to meet. Its large eyes glare, its lower 
jaw protrudes, highly suggestive of a determined 
nature to smash things in general, and the novice 
trembles for a time, wishing he were safe on shore. 
The tarpon is a long, slender, thin fish of the her- 
ring type. Its tail is deeply forked, a powerful 
organ by which it leaps; the upper portion of the 
back is of a metallic purple-blueish cast; the rest 
of the body iridescent silver. Its scales are 
remarkably large, some on the big fish being 
3 J X 3 inches, the exposed half seeming to have 
been dipped in molten silver and then frosted. 

One of the largest fish taken was that by Dr. 
Howe at Tampico, Mexico. It weighed 223 
pounds, had a length of 7 feet, 2 inches, and girth 
of 46 inches. In a little less than a 
anTlRecor'd month's fishing a famous English 
rodster, W. H. Grenfell, took 100 
fish at Boca Grande. But this is a record not 
often reached; it is only in a few localities, and 
very seldom, that they are really plentiful. 

Most of the dealers have now a regulation 
tarpon tackle; everything can be got in the large 
cities to fit the angler out for the fri y. Von Hofe 
has a special rod, reel, and line of their own make. 
A member of the firm having held the world's 
record for a time makes it a surety that their expe- 
37 



Fish and Fishing 

rience may be relied on to furnish tackle that 
suffices. But tastes differ somewhat, both as to 
length of rod and thickness of line; those 
inclined to be humanly reasonable use 
longer rods and lighter lines; such a rod may be 
7i feet long, having a single long tip and short 
butt, made either of greenheart, snake wood, or 
noib-wood; the latter has come to be a favorite 
wood among certain anglers, being firm, close, 
and of elastic fibre, yet remarkably light. The 
standard tarpon rod of split bamboo, 7 feet 
long, weighing 26 ounces, has been known 
to take a 600-pound fish. Of course, the diffi- 
culties in landing large fish increase with the length 
of the rod; it is wise to possess two or more rods 
(if the angler's pockets are deep enough), and 
they should be kept in a stiff leather case made 
for the purpose. For such fishing it would be 
the height of absurdity to use a common or 
cheap reel. Twenty-five dollars up to $60, 
is none too much to pay, and it must hold 600 feet 
of wet No. 21 Cuttyhunk line, or good linen of 
equivalent size. It should be fitted with a good drag 
and have a leather or rubber thumb pad (former 
preferred), fastened to the crossbar to press against 
the line. In the matter of lines the angler 
will do well to have several of various sizes, 
the novice beginning with No. 25; as he becomes 
expert he can use No. 21. Skilful anglers have 
taken the largest fish on No. 18, which is as light 
as possible, with safety. These lines cost from 
$3 to $4. 

38 



Popular Salt=Water Game Fish 

Regarding hooks, quantity as well as quality 
is essential, the Van Vleck perhaps being most 
used, though the O'Shaughnessy 10/0 has its 
followers. The hook is fastened to a snell of 
phosphor-bronzed wire five feet in length, divided 
into three lengths each connected by a 
swivel. Several dozens of these snells 
should be provided, costing, complete, fifty cents 
each. This makes up the tackle. A leather rod 
rest makes fishing easier work, and can be fastened 
either to waist or boat seat; without such a con- 
venience, the fishing, especially when waiting, grill- 
ing in the heat for a strike, becomes a nuisance. 

The night before fishing the line, if new, should 
be stretched, and it should be wet on arriving at 
the grounds, and if the boatman is a man of ex- 
perience, he will get your reel and lash it tightly 
to the rod;, whether it has a patent fastener or 
not. 

The pleasure of tarpon fishing to the angler is 

doubled, especially if he be a novice, in securing 

the right kind of a boatman, one with a cheerful, 

yet respectful disposition, above all, one who 

knows his business, and is able, as well as willing to 

show the peculiarities of the ground. For a great 

deal depends on tides, wind, and a knowledge 

of the habits of the mullet. Lastly, but not least, 

he should have a cool head, quick 

Boatman ^y^' ^^^ deliberate decisive action; in 

short, know thoroughly how the work 

should be done, and be able to direct others, and 

let them do it. When the fishing ground is reached 

39 



Fish and Fishing 

the first thing to be done is to screw the rod rest 
to the seat between the angler's legs; then the 
line is unreeled, fastened to the snell, and the hook 
is baited. Meanwhile, the angler is seated in his 
chair reeling off with his left hand the length of 
line which the boatman considers requisite, 
sometimes thirty or fifty feet, according to the 
location of the quarry. 

The best time to cast the bait is at the beginning 
of the flood tide, though the change to the ebb tide 
is good. When the mullet come in to the inner 



Mullet bait for tarpon. 

waters, the fishing is poor. An interesting arti- 
cle that appeared in "Outing," says: "Tarpon 
do not make a first attack upon their food with 
their mouths. They have no teeth except a 
roughening on the edges of the lips, sharp enough 
to cut the best line instantly, if it comes in contact 
with them. They secure their food by striking 
with their tails, and then turning about to pick 
up the fish stunned by the blow." As soon as the 
tide has turned and the fish are feeding, having 

the bait properly fixed on the hook ready 
Fi^tnff *^ ^^^*' ^^y forty feet astern of the boat, 

the angler is waiting, holding the rod 
across his lap, right thumb on the thumb brake, 
the left grasping the cork grip above the reel; the 
40 



Popular SaIt=Watcr Game Fish 

tarpon rushes at the bait with a tremendous blow. 
Opinions differ much as to the wisdom of strik- 
ing immediately; some give a little line, but I am 
inclined to approve Mr. Holder's advice, " to sway 
the point forward and strike at once, give a power- 
ful backward sway, the thumb pressing hard on 
the leather brake." The fish will at once jerk 
away, but the angler will repeat the strike, thus 
setting the hook in the jaw. The fish struggles 
violently while the rod must be held up as firmly 
as possible, "giving the butt," then slipping it 
into the leather socket. 

In tarpon fishing there are many strikes, few 
hooked, fewer killed. It is well known what 
tantrums the tarpon is capable of, above and be- 
low water, and it need not be repeated here ; suffice 
to say, the method of turning and bringing it 
toward the boat, after much line has been given, 
is to keep the fish well in hand, and con- 
. „ stantly to *'pump." The rushes 
must be stopped by the thumb and 
upper-hand pressure, and the moment this is ac- 
complished seize the reel handle and turn; then 
drop the tip very low, and with both hands, the 
right on the brake, lift steadily back until the rod 
is vertical; then lower the tip suddenly, reeling 
rapidly; each time the angler gains several feet. 
By these short "pumps" the fish is easier brought 
alongside. If the fish is not desired as a 
trophy the gaffer seizes the double portion 
of the line, inserts a short gaff just beneath the 
lower jaw, and holds the fish while it is unhooked 
41 



Fish and Fishing 

and then cast off. If the fish is to be kept, it is got 
into position, and the gaff placed under the head 
and jerked heavily upward between the gills and 
the tip of the jaw, and the fish's head held partly 
out of the water against the boat while it strug- 
gles. The boatman steps on the rail forcing it to 
the water's edge and slides the fish in upon the 
canvas at the bottom of the boat; if the tarpon still 
struggles it can be thrown over it. Some anglers 
kill the game with a revolver or a club. If the 
fish is firmly hooked, the boatman now cuts the 
line or unfastens it and baits a new hook, and 
the game is repeated as before. 

BLACK SEA-BASS 

This huge salt-water giant is another ocean 
wonder taken on rod and line within the last few 
years; its fighting qualities mainly consist in bull- 
like resistance, savage tugs, and towing the boat 
and anglers, sometimes for hours till tired. Then 
it is gaffed and rolled into the boat. It does not, like 
the tuna or tarpon, make long rushes, or 
leap above the surface, but generally goes 
deep down and along. It is common both on the 
Atlantic and Pacific coasts, where it has been 
caught weighing up to 500 pounds. In its gen- 
eral structure it closely resembles the fresh- water 
bass, and is often miscalled the black grouper, 
and Florida jewfish, but the two latter are dis- 
tinct species. 

Along the California coast, especially around 
42 



Popular Salt=\Vater Game Fish 

its islands, there arc vast submarine forests of 
great density, immense, broad, deep-green leaves, 
growing to a length of several hundred feet, sway- 
ing back and forth in the current, forming a forest 
maze of sea-weed so thick as to be hidden from 
human eyes. Here, in the deep blue 
water is the home of the gigantic black 
sea-bass. Innumerable smaller fish of many 
kinds swim in and out of the tangled mass, while 
the monsters slowly move among them, at times 
darting after them churning the water into a 
veritable maelstrom. To such an environment 
the sea-bass is supposed to arrive in April. About 
July and August, the fish spawns, and fish caught 
at this time are filled with enormous masses of 
eggs which are deposited under the weeds in 
shallow w^ater about twenty feet deep near the 
shore. During this time the fish are voracious, 
eagerly taking various baits. About the last of 
November they become scarcer and are rarely 
caught. It is supposed they run in schools at 

this season, and retire to deep water. 
Grounds ^^^ J^^^S ^^ the black sea-bass are 

never caught; it is believed they stay and 
feed at the bottom below the weeds, and then go 
out to the ocean, and do not return till mature 
fish. Small fish under 100 pounds are rarely, if 
ever, seen. 

Fishing for this giant as a sport has long been 

in vogue at the islands off Los Angeles County, 

and previous to 1895 they were caught entirely 

by hand lines ; but about that time a large fish was 

43 



Fish and Fishing 

taken with rod and reel by Gen. Charles Viele. 

Since then that method has been employed; it is 

a sport for two men in a staunch boat, 

Pi^^* but to try it single-handed is a danger- 

Taken on . • n p 

[^od ous experiment, especially tor a novice, 

as a large fish may tow a frail craft 

out to sea and so capsize it. Expert and bold 

anglers have done it, but they are men who thor- 



FISH UP TO 20 POUNDi= 



FISH OP TO 30 POUNDS 



TARPON 60 OR 100 POUNDS 

Actual size of lines. 

oughly understand the difficulties and dangers 
to be encountered. 

The tackle used for this gigantic fish is identical 

with that used for tuna fishing; some use the wire 

_ . . leader, a few feet longer, and above it 

a fifteen-foot upper leader of strong cod 

line to give the boatman purchase in gaffing. 

The fishing is done from an eighteen-foot 
launch, light enough for the fish to tow readily, 
large enough to hold, besides two anglers and boat- 
man, three bass of 200 pounds each. The launch 
is anchored near the weed beds, the anchor being 
44 



Popular Salt=Water Game Fish 

buoyed so that it can be tossed over the moment 
the strike comes. Various baits are used, a Hve 
whitefish, or one-half a barracuda, also three or 
four pounds of albacore. These are taken on or 
very near the bottom. 

At times there is a long and tedious wait for 
the strike, and when it does come, it is slow and 
deliberate, as becomes so dignified and portly a 
personage; after about twenty feet of line is gone 
and the bait properly in its mouth, a good solid 
strike is made; then the angler must be prepared 
for a violent shock, so strong and heavy, that it is 
enough to turn the boat completely 
Fishing ^ round and away in an instant, the reel 
working at utmost speed ; the question 
of the length of time that the battle lasts depends 
entirely upon the size of the fish and the expert 
way in which the angler plays it; some bring it 
alongside in a remarkably short time for so heavy 
a quarry. It is then gaffed, the boat heeled over 
to the edge of the water, and the fish rolled in. 

The Florida jewfish is found all along shore on 
the Indian River and various places round the 
peninsula. It grows to an immense 
Jewfish sixe and is caught near shore at the 

Grouper town of Tarpon, Aransas Pass. 

Its capture is identical with that of 
the sea-bass and the play is the same except that 
they have a habit of running to a deep cavern in 
the rocks and there sulking. 

What is known as the large black grouper, also 
caught on the Florida Keyes, attains a weight of 
45 



Fish and Fishing 

over 600 pounds, but it is comparatively scarce 
compared to the jewfish and bass. 

THE YELLOW TAIL 

The Pacific Coast is rich in game fish, or rather 
rich in anglers who, at all times, prefer to catch 
their quarry by game methods, and no fish is more 
popular or more deserving of that 
ing on the name than the lively and powerful 
Pacific yellow tail, or amber fish. Every- 

body takes a hand in the fun when 
the first great school comes up in the Bay of Avalon, 
about the 1st of April. Not all fish with rod and 
reel; hand lines are much in evidence, as the fish 
is a large one, requiring great strength to 
hold, the average being twenty-five pounds, 
some running up to eighty pounds. The tyro 
will find he is soon to be engaged with a tackle 
smasher, in fact rod smashing is the rule unless 
they are wielded by old or experienced hands. 

The beautiful bay may be as calm as a mirror, 
when, all at once, a big school appears chasing 
the smelts right on to the beach, breaking up 
the water into a mass of foam. Scores of boats 
put out among them, and excitement reigns 
supreme, for the yellow tail is a fighter, a veri- 
table "blue-fish" in shape and pugnacity, the true 
type of a real game fish. Its most con- 
spicuous feature is the powerful forked tail 
of a vivid yellow, which is carried out in a stripe 
along the middle of the body, the back and upper 
46 



Popular Salt=Water Game Fish 

sides are a rich oHve brown in the water, chang- 
ing in the sunhght to a bright iridescent blue, the 
lower part being of a pearly silver. Yellow tails 
are voracious feeders, devouring immense numbers 
of smelts, flying fish, anchovies, and sardines. 
They are often attracted and kept along- 
side the boat by "chumming" in both 
trolling and casting, or drifting. Like many other 
fish in this locality they arrive about the month of 
May in large schools, and then break up into small 
companies, of greater or less numbers, running 
North as far as Santa Barbara, and South as far 
as the shallow bays of lower California. 

Many anglers make a visit to the Islands Santa 
Catalina and San Clemente, on purpose to get ac- 
quainted with larger game, but if the season per- 
mits they rarely go away without trying con- 
clusions with the yellow tail and they are not 
disappointed in the result. For that 
Fishine reason a typical style of boat and boat- 
man has developed specially adapted 
for this fishing. Gasoline launches from sixteen to 
twenty feet are run by the boatman who acts as 
engineer, guide, and gaffer; the boat has two chair 
seats at and facing the stern, though the angler 
may play the fish standing should he prefer or 
work better that way. 

The tackle used is similar to that suited to tuna 

fishing; the rod not longer than eight feet, 

weighing not over twenty-five ounces, 

the line being a No. 15, or in some instances a 12- 

strand Cuttyhunk from 300 to 40O feet long. The 

47 



Fish and Fishing 

hook an O'Shaughnessy No. 7^0 or 8/0 with a six 
or eight-inch piano-wire leader, in two hnks, and 
fastened with a double swivel. 

The bait is either a smelt or sardine from four to 
six inches in length. To bait it, the hook is 
entered at the mouth coming out at the gill ; then 
turned it is embedded in the belly of the fish, so 
that the entire hook, except the shank, is hidden. 
The mouth is then wound with a five-inch 
fine silver wire attached to the hook, which 
prevents the bait from whirling too rapidly. At 




How to hook the bait. 

times fish of exceptionally large size may be 
taken on a flying fish. The bait is then cast, and 
about fifty or sixty feet of line unreeled, and the 
launch kept moving slowly near the sea- weeds. 

The fishing is best in the morning, from sunrise 
to midday, and on a flood tide. At the first sound 
of the reel, the boatman stops the engine, the fish 

at once turning the boat around, rush- 
Fish^ ^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ there in frantic efforts to 

escape; so powerful are these lunges at 
times, that the angler is forced to give line, or the 
tackle goes. If the angler can withstand it, then 
the rod is too stiff for the code which holds and 
is most in favor with members of angling clubs. 
48 



Popular Salt=Water Game Fish 

The hne is kept taut, reeled in when chance is 

given; if it is impossible to reel, a series of short 

"pumps" is tried. This ingenious device is used 

with effect in all game fishing. 

"Pumping" is done by raising the rod slowly; 

then it is suddenly dropped, and the slack line 

^ . rapidly reeled; this method repeated, 
Pumping , „ . ,1 . 1 .1 r. 1 . 

graaually gams the day, and the hsh is 

brought up. The yellow tail makes many rushes, 

and "pumping" comes into play each time; it is 

ejamy to the last, up to the time the 
Chumming ^ «• . • i i <• . 

gaii enters its throat, and even atter it 

is lifted into the boat. At times the fish is a coy 
biter; then "chumming" is the order of fishing; 
but when it is once persuaded sport is assured. 

Being one of the commonest fishes of the Pacific 
Coast the yellow tail is rarely eaten ; those weigh- 
ing from fifteen to twenty pounds, if properly 
cooked, are excellent eating, though the larger 
ones are somewhat tough. There is another 
genus called the amber jack, common 
Jack^^ on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, and plenti- 
ful in the vicinity of Palm Beach; it is 
caught weighing from forty up to one hundred 
pounds, and is also a vigorous fighter; but 
the medium-sized fish are the hardest fighters; 
this may be said of all game fishes in fresh 
as well as salt water, naturally the heavy fish 
not having the activity and snap of the younger 
specimens. 



4d 



Fish and Fishing 

SQUETEAGUE OR WEAKFISH OF THE 
ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC 

In abundance and popularity this fish is better 
known to more anglers of the Atlantic Coast than 
any caught on the line. The reason is obvious; it 
is a bold and ready biter and any angler 
who knows how to go about it, lands 
from ten to fifty fish in one tide. It is a hand- 
some as well as fairly nutritious food fish, afford- 
ing considerable satisfaction to hosts of anglers 
throughout the warm summer months. 

The squeteague is found on the Atlantic Coast, 
from Cape Cod to eastern Florida, and is abun- 
dant throughout this range, except in regions where 
its productiveness is interfered with by the blue- 
fish. It is then more scarce. But it is 
nowhere at any season more plentiful, than 
in summer along the stretch of shore from Nor- 
folk to Nantucket. Its wanderings vary; its habits 
are identical with the blue-fish, but the latter being 
the swiftest swimmer and the most voracious 
feeder, possibly interferes with the food supply of 
the squeteague. 

In the South it is called the spotted trout, sea 
trout and salmon. About Cape Cod it is called 
the drummer; about Buzzards Bay, yellow fins; 
in New York and New Jersey, weakfish; 
in Virginia, blue-fish; the name sque- 
teague is of Indian origin, and squit, succo- 
teague, squitee, and chickwit, are variations of 
50 




POPULAR SALT-WATER GAME FISH 



Popular Salt=Water Game Fish 

the name in different ancient and modern dia- 
lects. 

On the Pacific Coast it is known as the white 
sea-bass; other species, larger or smaller, are 
known as the gulf bass, sea trout, blue-fish, and 
. guaymas. The white sea-bass attains a 
w^eight of 100 pounds on the California 
coast in the vicinity of Santa Catalina. The 
average weight of the Atlantic species is from 
two to ten pounds, though specimens have been 
taken up to thirty pounds. 

The name weakfish is not applied because it is 
not a gamy fighter, but for the reason that the bony 
processes of its mouth are unusually tender, so 
that it requires some skill to land a large fish with- 
out pulling the hook away. 

The Cape Cod fishermen call the weakfish 
"drummer," because of the peculiar noise it pro- 
duces when travelling in schools. 

Weakfish are erratic in temperament and move- 
ments. To-day they are taken on a certain tide, 
to-morrow they will bite on another; sometimes a 
windy day is good, at others a calm day; thunder 
drives them to the bottom, and perhaps two days 
will intervene before they rise again to the sur- 
face. If sharks are in the vicinity, the tackle may 
be put up for the day; any loud noise in the boat, 
splashing of oars in the water, even the dropping 
of the anchor too forcefully, has a ten- 
dency to drive them to pastures new. At 
low tide they go into holes and sand bars and stay 
there till the tide moves in ; at night time they run 
51 



Fish and Fishing 

up the creeks to feed in the salt meadows, and 
there will take the hook freely, especially if baited 
with shrimps. Their habit of floating slowly into 
the bays with the incoming tide is mostly on, or 
near the surface, at flood, or nearly flood; the 
largest specimens may be seen at the top of the 
water, with the tall dorsal fin just above the surface ; 
at times they will jump and splash much in the 
manner of trout. 

^ The most favorable tide for catching them is 
generally considered the latter half of the flood 
and the first half of the ebb tide, in the bays and 
flats. In the ocean, the ebbing tide is 
best. It is necessary to ''feel" for 
weakfish; sometimes they run on the surface, at 
other times on the bottom; it all depends on where 
the food happens to be in that particular place. 
It is well to try the bottom, then a few feet from 
the bottom, then at the top. 

The usual rig for weakfishing is a light, stiff rod, 
not more than five feet six inches long, weighing 
ten to fifteen ounces, made of bamboo or green- 
heart, in two pieces, butt and tip, having good 
solid guides. Use a linen line, fine, but strong, and 
multiplying reel, holding 300 feet. The baited hook 
^ . . should be attached to the line with a three 
or four foot double leader (without sinker), 
and allowed to drift with the current. If the current 
be very swift use a split shot, or a pearl squid. If the 
fish are not feeding on the surface use a one-ounce 
sinker, attached just above the leader with float. 
If fishing deep a 2^-ounce sinker should be used. 
52 



Popular Salt=Water Game Fish 

The four principal baits for weakfish are 
shrimps, shcddcr crabs, sand worms, and spearing. 
The last named are best, especially for the big 
tide runners. They are always hungry, so that 
the bait most convenient to get will prob- 
ably do. Whatever bait the angler may use, 
he must remember that "chumming" is one of 
the necessary things in weakfishing; "chum" con- 
stantly, but not too freely. Shrimps are the best 
to use for "chum," next best are chopped Lafay- 
ettes, porgies, sea robins, hard clams, and horse 
mussels. 

There is never any doubt when a weakfish bites; 
it does not nibble round the hook, but takes the 
bait at one fair swoop and then starts off with it like 
a limited express with time to make up. It is a 
shy fish, easily frightened, and the man who uses 
a small line, light leaders and snells to the hook, 
is the one who is apt to have the best luck. When 
the fish strikes keep a taut line all the 
time; lead the fish instead of tugging or 
hauling it, and let it run if it wishes, but lead it back 
and land it with a net. The latter is perhaps the 
most important part of the tackle. A net is sure 
and safe. Lifting the fish over the boat side leads 
to more losses than anything else. Weakfish may 
be caught in the surf by the same 
Ocean and method as that used in striped-bass 
Fishing fishing, with tackle similar but lighter. 

They may also be caught in the 
ocean, trolling in the manner employed for blue- 
fishing. For bait use the artificial squid of bone, 
53 



Fish and Fishing 

cedar, or pearl. By these last two methods much 
larger fish are captured than those caught in bays 
and channels at flood tide. 

The Pacific squeteague, popularly known on 
the California coast as the white sea-bass, ranges 
the coast even to Canada, and is most common 
from south of Magdalena Bay to Santa Barbara; 
and like the Eastern species is very 
Squeteague uncertain in its movements and 
equally so in biting. The season may 
be said to be from May 1st to July, or even Au- 
gust; some seasons the fish is rare and will not bite; 
again it comes in numbers and affords sport long 
to be remembered. Charles F. Holder records, 
with a fellow-angler, taking ten of these fish, all 
over fifty pounds in weight, between 9 and 12 
o'clock, not 100 feet from the beach in Avalon 
Bay. He further states: "A large school entered 
the bay and remained ten days, affording ex- 
cellent sport. In our boat my companion and 
I each hooked a large fish at the same moment; 
one rushed ahead, the other darted astern, and 
we were at once involved in a most spirited tug- 
of-war which resulted in the loss of one fish. At 
one time twenty or thirty small boats were fishing, 
and sometimes half of these would have 'bass* 
hooked at the same time; the scene, as the big fish 

towed the boats about, the cries and shouts 
F^^lf^ as lines were parted, or rods succumbed, 

being a most animated one. I recall one 
rush of a bass hooked by a lady, which towed the 
boat almost entirely across the bay before the fish 
54 



Popular Salt=Water Game Fish 

could be checked. The game later tipped the 
scales at eighty pounds." 

Of course, no such woakfishing occurs on the 
Eastern coast. The white bass is taken almost 
invariably in deep water along the rocks, and will 
often plunge down and sulk; then plunging along, 
it makes inshore rushes to reach deep channels. 

Not all anglers use the rod, many fish with the 
line by hand; but the most artistic and humane 
use a rod of greenheart or bamboo, seven to 
eight feet long, weighing up to fifteen ounces, with 
a line of 15 to 18 Cutty hunk, or even larger, as the 
fish are given to sulking and therefore have to be 
lifted, once in a while. The hook should be a 9/0 
Limerick, with a piano-wire leader a foot 
Used ^ ^^ length. The bait is a smelt or sardine, 
about six inches in length, and is impaled 
through the mouth, the point thrust through the 
belly of the fish and the mouth of the latter bound 
and fastened to the shank of the hook by a silver 
wire, which should be attached to every hook. To 
prevent the bait from whirling and the line from 
untwisting, the leader should have at least two 
swivels. 

The method of fishing is to troll slowly, just 
outside the sea-weed; the fish nearly always swim 
on the surface, in small schools, and are easily 
recognized by their dorsal fins peeping above the 
T ir water. The fish are not easily alarmed, 
when the bait is cast among them, for 
the reason that it is the habit of the flying-fish to 
repeatedly drop with a splash in all directions, and 



Fish and Fishing 

they are taken by the largest fish as food. For 
that reason, the fl^ang-fish is often used as bait. 

The white sea-bass average about forty or fifty 
pounds, small ones being more or less rare. 
Specimens weighing eighty pounds have 
Record ^^^^ caught with hand lines. The rod 
record is fifty-six pounds. In the San 
Francisco market, bass weighing sixty to eighty 
pounds are not uncommon, and doubtless the fish 
attains a maximum weight of one hundred or more 
pounds. 

In the Gulf of California a larger species of this 
genus is found; it is a stouter and bulkier fish; there 
is a record of one being caught weighing 
Bass ^^^ pounds. It is known as the Gulf bass 
and can be found in vast numbers on the 
shores of the East coast, even entering the mouth 
of the Colorado River. 



STRIPED BASS 

No one will question or dispute that the striped 
bass, or rock fish, is the finest representative of 
the whole great family of sea-basses. Handsome 
in form and color, its table qualities are excellent, 
and it is a bold and persistent fighter in whatever 
method caught. It is a prolific breeder, hardy, 
and easily transplanted for distribution. 

The natural range of the striped bass includes 

the entire Atlantic Coast, from the Gulf of Mexico 

to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the fish entering rivers 

and ascending them almost to their head- waters. 

56 



Popular Salt=Water Game Fish 

Individuals are known to have been taken every 
year in the Alabama River, Lower Mississippi, 

in the vicinity of Pensacola, Florida, 
tributk)n *^" ^" *^^^ great bays and sounds from 

North Carolina to Cape Cod. Large 
numbers are caught in Albemarle Sound, at Eden- 
ton, North Carolina, and near Norfolk, Virginia. 
In the Potomac River the fish ascends to the Great 
Falls. It is one of the most highly esteemed fish 
of the Delaware and Susquehanna rivers. The 
Jersey and New England coast are the centre of 
their abundance. Large numbers are caught by 

lines and by seines. The striped 
Distribution ^^^^ ascends the St. Lawrence as far 

as Quebec. It was introduced into 
California in 1879 and 1882, and has now become 
so abundant that the annual catch by fishermen is 
nearly as large as the yearly supply on the Atlantic 
Coast. 

Russian River, in Sonoma County, Cal., seems to 
be the Northern limit, while Monterey Bay is the 
Southern boundary, but in 1903 more were planted 
in the vicinity of San Diego Bay, and later ar- 
rangements were also made to send bass to Del 
Norte County, where the waters are considered 
suitable for the experiment. The most favorable 
haunts of the Pacific Coast are Lake Merritt in 
Oakland, California, San Francisco Bay, San 
Leandro Bay, and San Antonio Slough; the last 
is celebrated for its great numbers of big fish. 
"" The striped bass prefers cold waters. It is fre^ 
quently found at the mouths of small creeks and 
57 



Fish and Fishing 

in tide ways, where it lies in wait for the great 
schools of little fish upon which it feeds. The 
rock-bound shores of our Northern bays furnish 
hiding places for fish of the larger size. Some- 
times a school of big ones will be seen in the surf 
along sandy shores feeding upon small fish which 
may be present. Edenton and Weldon, 
HalTnts^ North Carohna, and Norfolk, Virginia, 
are noted fishing places. The Roanoke 
River, near Hamilton, yields many bass. The 
Little Falls of the Potomac is a favorite ground 
for fly fishing. The Passaic and Raritan rivers 
have furnished good sport; also the Great South 
Bay, Newport, Rhode Island, Block Island, West 
Island, No Man's Land, and Martha's Vine- 
yard. The striped bass is especially fond of rivers 
frequented by shad, because the eggs of that fish 
furnish one of its favorite foods, and the river 
herring which accompanies the shad also con- 
tributes greatly to the diet of the bass. 

The bass is carnivorous and predaceous, and 
consumes vast numbers of little fish in streams, 
particularly herring and shad. The shallow bays 
along the coast furnish it with killifish, anchovies, 
silversides, lant, and many other small fishes as 
well as worms, shrimps, crabs, squid, clams, scal- 
lops, mussels, and other marine inverte- 
brates. Its movements while feeding 
are greatly influenced by the tides. The uncer- 
tainty of the movements of this fish is proverbial; 
it is hard to find at certain times, and still more 
difficult to bring to the hook. It is shy and ex- 
58 



Popular Salt=Water Game Fish 

tremely wise on occasion, so that no angler can lay 
claim to continual success. When the bass does 
strike the hook, there is no mistake about its in- 
tention, for it hooks itself without assistance. 

Quick to seize the lure, it holds it firmly, full of 
resources in its struggle against capture, endowed 
with wonderful strength and endurance, quick to 
take advantage of natural obstructions ; the striped 
bass as a game fish may be classed with the salmon, 
for its intelligence and fighting quali- 
Game Fish ^^^^* ^^^ ^^^* plunge, when hooked, 
is more powerful than that of the 
salmon, and its endurance is greater. The most 
expert angler finds it utilizing every accessory 
which nature has furnished for its protection; 
sharp rocks are used to the best advantage to cut 
the line or break the hook. 

Casting through the surf is one of the most ex- 
hilarating, though precarious, methods of bass 
fishing; everything combines to circumvent the 
fisherman; the bass itself, the weight of the surf, 
the undertow, friction of the rocks, all test 
his skill to the utmost. As the season for 
striped-bass fishing is long, and continues far into 
cold and inclement weather, the angler must be 
supplied with warm clothing, including water- 
proof jacket, mitts, and boots, a soft cap, over- 
alls, and thumb stall for protection against fric- 
tion of the line. 

As the fish vary greatly in size, and styles of fish- 
ing differ widely, there is a variety of rods. A 
casting rod should be eight and one-half feet long 
59 



Fish and Fishing 

and weigh eighteen ounces, of spHt bamboo pre- 
ferred, but one of lancewood or greenheart will 
stand hard usage better. The chief quahties re- 
quired in a rod for sea fishing are toughness, spring, 
and elasticity. It should be silk wound and 
have guides and tips of agate or carnelian. 
For bait casting a light rod about nine feet will be 
suitable for fishing in shallow bays, near river 
mouths, or in streams within tide limits. For 
fly fishing a good black-bass rod will prove effi- 
cient For still fishing, where fish are small, one 
may have fine sport with a plain rod, combined 
with a float and sinker, with two hooks on gut 
leaders. 

There is just the same variation in reels. Surf 

fishing demands a reel holding 300 yards of 

12 to 18 thread Cuttyhunk line, and must 

be a quadruple multiplier. It will cost from 

$10 to $15. In fly fishing the same tackle that 

is used for black bass will do for striped bass. 

The lines generally used for surf fishing are linen 
Cuttyhunk, from 9 to 18 thread, in length varying 
with the character of the fishing. For still fishing 
in summer, or bait fishing from shore, the line is 
usually of braided linen, smaller size, in 
lengths of fifty yards, with three-foot leader 
of single gut. In trolling for small fish up to ten 
pounds, about one hundred feet of braided linen, 
size E or F, or two hundred feet of size E for 
larger bass may be used. 

For small bass up to three pounds weight. No. 1 
or 2 sprout hooks on gut snells will be found suit- 
60 




POPULAR SALT-WATER GAME FISH 



Popular Salt=Water Game Fish 

able; in trolling, sprout hooks No. 2/0 to 3/0 
on gut snells, for small fish, and No. 5/0 to O/O for 
larger bass. The best hooks for surf fishing on 
the coast are knobbed sprout hooks No. 5/0 
to 8/0. These are to be secured to the 
line by two half hitches with an additional 
half hitch to attach the loose end. The outfit is 
better with two twisted three-foot leaders; one at- 
tached to the line with a brass swivel, the second 
fastened in like manner to the first; and linked to 
the end of this, also by means of a swivel, a small 
spinner; to the end of the spinner a hook should be 
attached, usually a 4/0 or 5/0. 

The striped bass is such an omnivorous feeder 
that many different kinds of bait are required 

. durino^ the season, but the favorites are small 
Bait o ' 

eel, shrimp, crab, and worm. In California 

little fish called shiners and sardines and the 

clams of the region, form the bill of fare. They 

also troll with the Golcher, Stewart, or Wilson 

spoon. 

For the Eastern coast, especially in localities 
near New York, the shedder crab and lady crab 
are frequently employed. The sand worm and 
blood worm make tempting bait in trolling or still 
fishing. Two or three worms are threaded through 
the whole length of the body and must cover the 
hook entirely from point to snell. 

The skimmer clam is known as an excellent 

bait at Allenhurst, N. J., where a great bed of these 

clams attracts bass of large size. Small fish of many 

kinds, either alive or dead, are always attractive; 

61 



Pish and Fishing 

spearing, killifish, lant, smelt, mullet, eel, alewife, 
and menhaden, the latter being most famous for 
surf fishing. On certain rivers, eel-tail is used; 
another bait seldom heard of at present, but for- 
merly much used, is shad roe. Artificial lures for 
trolling include the bone, or block-tin squid, 
spoons, spinners, and their allies, attached 
to a single hook. Artificial flies are available for 
striped-bass fishing in fresh or brackish water only, 
and are best in the spring when the bass are as- 
cending fresh water. The best fishing is at sun- 
down. Showy flies are the favorites, red ibis, blue- 
jay, oriole, royal coachman, polka, silver doctor, 
Parmachenee Belle. Trt)lling the fly is best, with 
plenty of line, and working the line at the surface, 
^ sinking it a foot or two, and then jerking it. 

Casting in the surf, with menhaden bait, is re- 
garded as the highest type of expert angling for 
striped bass on the Atlantic Coast. Most com- 
plete outfits are provided by the tackle 
tl^Surf*" dealers, according to the taste and 
means of the angler. Skilled anglers 
cast a distance of 120 yards, though the average is 
much less. In making the cast, the line is reeled 
up to two feet from the tip, one hand grasping the 
rod above the reel, the other below it; the thumb 
of the lower hand on the thumb stall controls the 
line so that it travels the same rate as the bait. 
The motion of casting is peculiar and requires 
long practice. The cast may be made with either 
hand, the body being turned to one side or the 
other as occasion requires. The one great essen- 
62 



Popular Salt=Water Game Fish 

tial is to deliver the bait at the surface of the water 
without a jerk, and the motion of the reel must 
stop as soon as the bait touches the water. As 
soon as the bait sinks to the bottom, the 
FVshinff ^^"^ ^^ reeled in slowly, and casting is 
continued till the fish is hooked. The 
first dash of the fish is the most critical stage of the 
fishing, and the bass may sometimes rush toward 
the angler faster than the slack can be taken 
up, calling for the best judgment and skill on 
the part of the angler. The preparation and ap- 
plication of the menhaden bait is very simple. 
The fish is first scaled, then a slice is cut from each 
side from head to tail, leaving little except the 
back bone, head, and fins, which are utilized later 
for "chum." The hook is inserted in the fleshy 
side of a strip, then returned through the edges 
of the scaly side in such a manner as entirely to 
conceal the shank; the bait must be tied on the 
hook, or it will be soon washed off by the action 
of the water. After two baits are cut from the 
sides, the remainder of the fish is chopped up and 
thrown into the water, the solid portions sinking 
at greater or less distance from the shore, while the 
oil covers the surface for a considerable space. 

In landing a large fish through the surf, great 
skill is required, for many tricks are played by the 
bass to evade capture. 

Other relatives of the striped bass are the white 
bass, yellow bass, and white perch; though much 
smaller and of lesser importance, they are still 
caught on tackle of a lighter build. 
63 



Fish and Fishing 



BLUE-FISH 

Fishing for blue-fish in a spanking breeze, 
with not too much sea on, is one of the most invig- 
Name and orating and stirring pastimes in the 
Distribu= whole range of angling sport. The 
*^" blase, lazy man, fond of a good meal, 

should try this sport to earn it. Full of life 
and thrills, a large blue-fish will convey that 
feeling through the line to the angler in a marked 
degree. 

This fish on the coast of New England and 
the Middle Atlantic States, is called the blue-fish; 
it is also known in Rhode Island as the horse 
mackerel, south of Cape Hatteras, as the skip 
jack, in Virginia and Maryland as the Green- 
fish." Young blue-fish are called snapping 
mackerel or snappers. In the Gulf of Mexico, 
the name of blue-fish is in general use. 

This fish is widely distributed in the Malay 
Archipelago, Australia, and at the Cape of Good 
Hope, at Natal, and about Madagascar, at Malta, 
along the coast of Syria and the Canaries. It has 
never been seen on the Atlantic Coast of Europe, 
or in the waters of Bermuda or Western Islands. 
On our coast it ranges from Central Brazil and 
the Guianas through the Gulf of Mexico and North 
to Nova Scotia. From Cape Florida to Penobscot 
Bay blue-fish are abundant at all seasons when 
the temperature of the water is propitious. It is 
possible that the presence of their favorite food, 
64 



Popular Salt=Water Game Fish 

the menhaden, has as much influence upon their 
movements as water temperature. 

The blue-fish sometimes make their way up the 
rivers to a considerable distance, the adults, how- 
ever, apparently never enterin*;' the perfectly fresh 
water. They are found in the Potomac as far 
North as Acquia Creek. The young of the year 
are taken as hi oh as Sin^: Sin^: on the Hudson, and 
in other tidal rivers where the water is entirely fresh. 
The blue-fish is carnivorous, feeding solely upon 
other fish; indeed, it may be rightly called 
H^bits^ a "veritable animated chopping ma- 
chine." There is no parallel in point of 
destructiveness to the blue-fish among the marine 
species on our coast the business of which is to 
cut to pieces and otherwise destroy as many fish 
as possible in a given space of time. Going in 
large schools in pursuit of fish, not much inferior 
in size to themselves, they move along like a pack 
of hungry wolves, destroying everything before 
them; their trail is marked by fragments of fish 
and by the stain of blood in the sea, because where 
the fish is too large to be swallowed entire, the hind- 
er portions will be bitten off and the anterior part 
allowed to float away or sink. It is even main- 
tained that such is the gluttony of the fish that, 
when the stomach becomes full, the contents are 
disgorged and it is again filled. The youngest 
fish, equally with the older, perform this function 
of destruction, and, though they occasionally de- 
vour crabs, worms, etc., the bulk of their food 
is derived from other fish. The rate of growth 
65 



Fish and Fishing- 
is evidence of the immense amount of food they 
must consume. A fish of five pounds in the 
. spring will have increased to fifteen 

pounds in the autumn. They have been 
known to attain a weight of twenty-five pounds, 
the average being from eight to twelve. A blue- 
fish weighing one pound measures about fourteen 
inches; two pounds, seventeen inches; three pounds 
twenty-one inches, and eight pounds, twenty- 
nine inches. 

Two methods are employed in angling for this 
fish; the favorite mode is by trolling or squidding, 
the other by heaving and hauling in the surf; 
both have plenty of excitement as well as consider- 
able hard work, especially with large fish. 

In trolling at the surface a squid of bone or 
metal is used, or live bait, menhaden, or any 
silvery fish, or an eel skin drawn inside out. It 
is necessary that the boat or launch should go at 
a lively gait, and the blue-fish will 
follow after to bite. The fish will not 
bite unless the bait is speeding along through 
the water. Trolling is now done mostly from a 
gasoline launch; the old style sailboat hardly 
suffices, and can be used only under certain con- 
ditions; and the difficulty of luffing at the right 
moment makes it not nearly so easy as the ready 
launch that is stopped and reversed almost im- 
mediately. From such a craft, from one to a 
dozen lines are let out at varying distances, 
though the fewer lines out the better and safer the 
chances are of landing fish. No one can deny the 
6G 



Popular Salt=Water Game Fish 

fascination of the sport, the fresh wind, the rushing 
boat, with the silvery bait flashing from wave to 
wave sixty or more feet behind. Soon the smash- 
ing rush of the fish Hterally tears away Hne despite 
every effort to save it, and the angler lies down 
holding on for dear life, his arms wrenched and 
chafed by the gamy fish, full to the very end of 
vigor and irrepressible animation. 
and "HookT ^he tackle, therefore, must be very 
stout and able to resist such tugging. 
The lines should be 300 feet of strong Cuttyhunk, 
No. 15 to 18, with a sprout hook, 5/0, snelled 
with wire. If the fish are running large, a larger 
hook should be used. 

Heaving and hauling, as its name implies, is 
when the angler, standing on the beach or in the 
breakers, whirls his heavy gig about his head, and 
casts in far into the sea. No rod is used, the work 

being done by hand throw, the hands 
Heaving protected by stout woollen gloves. Hav- 
Hauling ing hooked the fish, he puts the line over 

his shoulder, walks up the beach, drag- 
ging his prize after him to the shore. This prac- 
tice is only possible on exposed sandy beaches, like 
the Jersey shore, Montauk, and other places. This 
method of fishing requires much practice. Three 
important things govern the use of this tackle, 
^. e., the squid must be heaved far enough to 
straighten, maybe, one hundred yards of line, and 
the line must run out freely and smoothly; also the 
hand-over-hand recovery must start so soon as 
the squid has touched the water. The prowling 
67 



Fish and Fishing 

blues feed outside the surf, hence the squid should 
strike the water well beyond that point. The 
heavy squid plays the part of sinker, and the way 
it will carry out a line from a skilled hand is a 
wonder to behold. The amateur squidder fre- 
quently makes fast the home end of the line about 
his waist, neatly coiling the line up on the sand. 
Experts term this "lubberly," and hold the coils 
in one hand, a thing which no novice should at- 
tempt. For the heave, a right-handed 
S^Y ^^ expert holds the line in that hand, at a 
point which he prefers above the squid 
which is started slowly swinging around his 
head; when nicely going, the speed is increased 
till the whirling tackle fairly whistles; then at 
precisely the right instant the final heave is given, 
the squid hums seaward like an arrow, the line 
hisses after, and when everything is as it should 
be, the squid plunges into the water ahead of an 
almost straight line. 

To pull a fighting blue-fish through the surf is 

no easy matter, and for this vigorous sport the 

best costume is an old bathing suit; 

and, as the feet have to take a tight 

grip on the sand as well as shells, old yachting or 

tennis shoes will be preferable to the naked feet. 

In both trolling and squidding, the blue-fish 

generally hooks himself. In every instance the 

main thing is to keep a taut line, yet never to hold 

so fast that the fish can smash the tackle, which 

he will do in the fierce rushes if checked too hard. 

It makes a "smashing fight" from the minute it is 

68 



Popular Salt=Water Game Fish 

hooked, till its death, and it is impossible to tell 
which way it will run. If it runs in so fast as to get 
the line slack it will either shake the hook 
Traits"^ out of its jaws, or swim ahead of the wire 
leader and bite the line off with its 
keen teeth. It exhibits the courage, strength, and 
deviltry of a wild tiger, running deep, breaking 
water, rushing from side to side, always pulling 
and jerking with its entire energy. When blue- 
fish are not sighted "chumming" is resorted to 
to lure them; the oil from the cut-up menhaden 
floats upon the surface and so attracts them. 

For rod fishing from a stationary skiff, near 
where blue-fish are breaking, use a light trout rod 
for the smaller fish, and a heavy bass rod for the 
larger fish; on such tackle blue-fish are 
FUhing ^^^y gamy, frequently leaping from the 
water, making every effort to smash all 
in sight. The most reliable bait are lobster-tail, 
shedder crab, chopped moss-bunker, live killies, 
herring, and spearing. 

The young blue-fish or snapper, from six to ten 
inches long, is fished for by a host of anglers, be- 
cause it is good sport on a light rod, and when 
caught, excellent pan fish. The fishing is en- 
tirely on the surface; the best hook is the long- 
shanked Carlisle, size from No. 4 to 1, as some- 
times the angler will encounter a school of small 
snappers, and again get into a school of one or 
two-pound fish. Early in the morning is the best 
time for snappers; they are caught mostly in in- 
lets, bays, or behind bars. When one fish is 
69 



Fish and Fishing 

caught, it is certain others are near by. Every 
angler has his views as to the best baits; spear- 
ing is the favorite; live killies are excel- 
Hsliing^ lent, and cut-up snappers. Fish three 
feet below the surface and keep the bait 
moving about; if necessary use a small sinker. 
Snappers bite vigorously, and for that reason a 
fine gimp snell should be attached to the hook; 
the line should be fine, but of good strength, for 
small and young as this fish is, like its parent, it 
shows remarkable agility and holding power. 

BONITO AND ALBACORE 

The habits of the bonito are similar to those 
of the blue-fish, though it is, if possible, even 
more active and more the embodiment of perpetual 
and insatiable hunger. They come and leave 
the coast at the same time, they prey in company 
upon menhaden and mackerel, and together they 
are often caught. The two kinds of fish do not 
mingle, but the regiments rush to battle side by 
side. The bonito is known as the skip jack, 
Spanish mackerel, etc., and reaches a length of 
thirty inches and a weight of ten or twelve pounds. 
It inhabits the Atlantic Ocean, on both coasts, 
and is common in the Mediterranean. It oc- 
curs in the summer between Cape May and Cape 
Sable, off Cape Hatteras, off Block Island, Long 
Island, mouth of the Chesapeake, and so down 
to the Gulf. 

Schools of bonito cause more commotion in 
70 



Popular Salt=Water Game Fish 

the water than those of the blue-fish; they spring 
above the surface and are visible at a long distance; 
they are attended by the same schools of scream- 
ing gulls and terns, and leave in their track 
similar "slicks" of oil and blood. 

The bonito is caught on the surface of deep 
water in the open ocean by exactly similar bait 
and tackle to that used for the blue-fish; its play 
is much the same and its resistance quite as strong. 
Its flesh may be ranked among the many 
excellent food fishes of our coast, and is a worthy 
rival of the Spanish mackerel and the sheeps- 
head. 

On the Pacific Coast, the albacore is consid- 
ered an understudy of the tuna, which it much 
resembles, both in activity and agility, often seiz- 
ing the bait intended for tuna. It is one of the 
commonest fishes of the Pacific waters, found in 
nearly all tropical seas, but not caught on the 
Atlantic Coast, and rarely seen. It grows up 
to a weight of sixty-fiv^ pounds; the adult fish, 
while it is caught near the island shores, never 
approaches the mainland, being found from two 
to five miles out. Always present in vast num- 
bers, feeding and leaping from the water, it is a 
constant menace to the small fish. The rush of 
the school of albacores, as they charge the flying 
fishes, invariably arouses the angling community. 
The commercial catch is large and important in 
all the sea-shore towns from San Diego to Santa 
Cruz. As sport, all find it a paying employ- 
ment, and go from ^ve to seven miles out to sea, 
71 



Fish and Fishing 

from San Diego, Coronado, San Pedro, Long 
Beach, Redondo, Santa Barbara, and all along 
shore. 

The typical equipment is a rod of greenheart, 
noib-wood, or split bamboo, to weigh about twenty- 
six ounces, as the fish often sulks, and has to be 
"pumped." The rod should be in one piece, with 
a short butt, having extra large tips for albacore 
and tuna. The rod has double bell guides so 
that the line can be changed every day and the 
rod will not curve in any given direction. The 
reel should be lashed to the rod and be of me- 
dium size, to hold 300 feet of wet No. 15 Cutty- 
hunk line, though some anglers use tuna tackle, 
owing to the chances of hooking one at any time. 
A short phosphor-bronzed leader and an 8/0 
O'Shaughnessy hook. Trolling at full speed, the 
albacore can be taken with a bone gig. With a 
slower gait, live bait, sardines or smelt are the 
common lure. The hook is inserted in the 
mouth, brought out at the gills, the point turned 
and thrust into the belly of the bait, near the vent. 
When pulled straight it is almost concealed. The 
mouth is closed with a wire, fastened to the 
shank of the hook, or thread may be used. Each 
leader or snell should have two or three swivels; 
no sinker is required. The launch is manned 
with a gaffer who acts as engineer, and has the 
same duties as in tuna fishing. The albacore is 
a fierce fighter for its size, more so even than the 
tuna. 



72 



Popular Salt=Water Game Fish 



CHANNEL BASS 

The channel bass is one of the largest food 
fishes of the Southern waters, reaching a length 
of five feet and a weight of seventy-five pounds. 
It inhabits the Atlantic Coast from New York 
to Texas, is abundant in the Carolinas, Florida, 
and the Gulf of Mexico, and is also taken at times 
on the New Jersey coast. It has many titles. At 
the mouth of the James River it is called the 
drum, at the mouth of the St. Mary's, Ga., the 

red bass, at Fort Marion, Florida, the 
Names^ spotted bass, on the Indian River the red 

horse, at Tampa the reef bass. New Or- 
leans the poisson rouge, San Antonio the pez Colo- 
rado. But the common name is red drum, or 
channel bass. It is caught on the bottom of the 
ocean and in the surf from July to late October. 
It is a splendid fighter especially if reasonable 
tackle is used, springing forward and down with 
long sweeps, shooting back and forth, cutting 
the water with splendid rushes. 

In fishing the surf the usual stiff casting rod is 
employed, and the method used is similar to that 
with the striped bass. In bays and mouths of 
rivers an eight-foot greenheart or bamboo rod 
weighing twenty-four ounces is used, the line a No. 
12 Cuttyhunk, and hook about the size of a No. 7/0 
Limerick, baited with mullet or crab; a sinker 
should be attached to the line with the usual 
swivels, as the channel bass is a bottom feeder, 
73 



Fish and Fishing 

and often caught weighing fifty pounds along 
the Florida coast. This locality is also famous 
for large sharks, strikes from this same 
being about two to one for channel bass. 
On the Jersey coast the bait used is clams, oys- 
ters, or menhaden, the latter preferred. The 
greater part of the fishing, however, is done with 
hand lines, the fisherman heaving a heavy sinker, 
with the menhaden bait tied securely to the hook, 
far out over the rollers, and the fish is hauled in 
through the waves. 

In south Barnegat Bay, at Harvey Cedars, some 
of the finest fishing can be had at times, especially 
in September, the catches ranging from fifteen 
to fifty pounds. As a game fish, the channel bass 
is similar to the striped bass. It lives upon 
crustaceans, mollusks, and sea worms, 
and has been seen to root up and tear the 
weeds in shallow waters in its search for food. 
This explains its presence along the line of surf 
in the shallow waters of the great sandy beaches 
of the coast, the home of numerous burrowing 
crustaceans. Another species, called the black 
sea drum is a bottom feeder, and is caught 
Drmn ^^ *^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ skimmer clams, and soft 
clams, baited on heavy tackle, similar to that 
used in surf casting for striped bass. It is caught 
on the New Jersey shore, particularly at Angle- 
sea, in the spring and summer; sometimes, though 
rarely, farther North. It is most abundant in the 
Gulf of Mexico and the Southern Atlantic coasts, 
and is caught weighing up to seventy-five pounds. 
74 



Popular Salt=Water Game Fish 



SHEEPSIIEAD 

This powerful fish is common, and ranges all 

along the coast from Cape Cod to Mexico; at 

Old Point Comfort, Va., the shecpshead appears 

in April or March and leaves in October. On the 

Florida reef, at Garden Key, it can be caught all 

the year round, but more frequently in summer. 

^. . . All down the Florida coast, it is a 
Distribution . , ^ , ,, x t 

common wmter tisn; trie Indian 

River region down to Biscayne Bay, is a favorite 
locality. The oyster beds of the Chesapeake are 
a favorite locality for sheepshead, and there are nu- 
merous fishing grounds about New York Bay, well 
known to boatmen, at Staten Island, Fort Ham- 
ilton, on the New Jersey shore, Jamaica Bay, Fire 
Island, South Bay, and various other localities. 
The sheepshead reaches a length of thirty 
inches and a weight of twenty pounds, though 
the average is about ten. It is one of the most 
, valuable of our food fishes and some 
anglers prize it for its strength and game 
qualities. It is a slow-swimming fish, frequent- 
ing rocky shores in shallow water, piers, and old 
wrecks, the latter particularly being favorite 
resorts; and wherever a wreck can be located on 
the Atlanic Coast, good sheepshead fishing may be 
assured. Its head is large and its body deep, and 
it has a large powerful tail; the mouth is large, and 
provided with a curious array of teeth, those in 
front being conical or incisory for tearing or 
75 



Fish and Fishing 

biting. Back of these are others, in two or three 

rows, which are crushers or grinders. These are 

suggestive of the habits of the sheepshead, 

which is equipped by nature to hve upon 

shells and crustaceans, and wherever found, it 

feeds upon young oysters, barnacles, cockles, and 

crabs of various kinds. With the front teeth it 

wrenches shells from rocks or piers and passes 

them to the grinders where they are crushed. It is 

cauffht on all kinds of tackle, but the 
Tackle . 

most popular is the same as that used for 

the tautog, which it resembles in many ways. The 
rod is a short, medium casting rod for the ocean, 
with strong line, and large wooden reel; for in- 
side bays, an eight-ounce bait rod, linen line, 
stout single leader, multiplying reel, a swivel 
sinker attached to the line and a No. 2 sprout 
hook. The best baits are oysters, clams, and 
crabs. In baiting the hook with a small crab, it 
should be done so that the point of the hook 
passes through from the belly through the back, 
taking great care not to crush the body in hooking. 
If the hook is put through nearer the head, it will 
last much longer. The best time is during flood 
tide and the first and last of the ebb tide. When 
the fish takes the bait it should be struck 
sharply, but not too soon — not till a 
second or third tug is felt. The time to strike is 
when it has the bait well in toward the crushers. 
After striking, when the hook is secure, give the 
fish line, for the first few dashes are most severe 
on the tackle, especially w^ith a weighty fish. 
76 



CHAPTER III 

Popular Bottom Fresh=Water Fish 

PIKE PERCH 

The wall-eye pike, as .an angler's trophy, may 
be placed between the perch and the pickerel; for 
all-round fishing it hardly reaches the pickerel in 
gameness, though to some anglers it is superior. 
Personally, I would rather play a perch of similar 
size, than the wall-eye. It is essentially a bottom 
fish, and the bait it goes for best is minnows and lob 
worms, and occasionally it rises to a fly. Owing 
to its nocturnal habits, the best time to angle for 
it is from sunset to dark; in fact, it is fished for 
after dark by many people on moonlight nights, 

or by the aid of a brio;ht lantern. The 
Habits"^ wall-eye is known by many names, 

for it is abundant all over the Conti- 
nent, and is still being regularly distributed as a 
desirable fish, both for its game and eatable qual- 
ities. In various localities it is known as the 
glass-eye pike, blue pike, yellow pike, salmon, 
or jack salmon. In Canada, where it grows to a 
weight of twelve pounds, it is called the dore. In 
shape and coloration it is similar to the perch, 
77 



Fish and Fishing 

but has a larger mouth and very sharp teeth. 
Its eyes are also very large and glassy, being more 
prominent than most fish, well fitting it for seek- 
ing its prey by night. The wall-eye is found in 
all depths of water, but prefers to stay at the bot- 
tom, either of rock or of gravel, in clear as well as 
cold water. 

It loves to lie in deep pools, at the foot of ripples, 
or where the current is strong and deep, near 
small dams and under sunken logs, or shelving 
rocks and banks. It will only enter shallow 

water in lakes and streams in search of 
Found ^^^d> ^^ ^t spawning time. It feeds on 

every kind of small fish and does not 
spare its offspring. Insects, larvae, crawfish, and 
worms are devoured in great numbers, and even 
small frogs aad young snakes are preyed upon. 
Its usual weight is from two to four pounds, but 
it grows to fifteen pounds under favorable condi- 
tions. Its flesh is highly prized as a food fish, 
being white, firm, and flaky; which makes it a 
commercial fish of much importance, especially 
on Lake Erie, whence it is shipped in large 
numbers. There are three ways to fish for the 
wall-eye; on lakes it should be fished for in com- 
paratively deep water, over pebbly bottoms, with 
a live minnow or crawfish, particularly minnows 
with silver sides, such as dace, roach or red fin; 
in rapid currents, pieces of fish with the skin, 
bright and silvery, trimmed in a shape so that it 
will spin nicely. I have caught them on a spinner 
with a bright-colored bass fly at the end. But, 
78 



Popular Bottom Fresh=Water Fish 

certainly, the best sport is with the fly at evening 
on running streams. The most likely method 

is casting over deep and swift water at 
Capture *^^ ^^^^ ^^ rapids, when there is a brisk 

wind blowing. In such places they 
congregate in search of minnows that are ren- 
dered helpless by the churning waters. For lake 
fishing, the rod should be stout, with a strong 
silk or Cuttyhunk line; the hook snelled with 
gimp or piano wire, because, like the pickerel, 
their sharp teeth easily cut through the stoutest 
gut. Drop down a sinker to find the proper 
depth to adjust the float — three or four shot 
placed on the snell to keep the minnow down 
in deep water. More fish are caught on dull, 
cloudy, windy days and in the evenings. In 
minnow fishing, if the fish run to a good size, 
use No. 2/0 to 3/0 hooks. When a wall-eye 
takes the bait, it swims leisurely away, sometimes 
taking the float along without going under the 
water; let it go some distance, then raise the tip 
of the rod quickly, and it will be hooked. If it 
does stop after moving a short distance, then 
strike good and hard; after being hooked it will 
tug violently and keep up the game till reeled in. 
It never runs, but simply pulls and tugs till landed. 
The large, heavy fish often dive to the bottom 
after being reeled nearly in; there they stay, 
jiggering, and it requires careful work to move 
them. They will only rise to the fly at evening, 
and that not often, but much more readily in 
white, foaming water, below a dam or falls; 
79 



Fish and Fishing 

though this fish is most uncertain to locate, being 
much given to roaming about in search of food. 
In fishing rapids, let the fly wander at will, 
just as the current takes it; sometimes the fish 
darts for it at the surface, at other times when sunk 
three feet by the force of the water. One fly is 
sufficient at the end of a six-foot leader, similar 
to that used for bass; the fly being about the size 
of a small bass, or large trout fly. In color use dark 
flies for mornings, dark gray hackle, 
Fishine black hackle, gray drake. For even- 
ing, use a white miller, silver doctor, or 
coachman. As soon as the fly is taken, keep a 
firm hold on the rod. The wall-eye is every bit 
as strong as the bass, and while it lasts, in swift 
water, a ten-pound fish is no mean work for a 
tyro to tackle. Dr. Brown Goode states, "There 
is no better pike-perch fishing in the world than 
that which may be had in the vicinity of Lake 
City, Minnesota, in Lake Pepin, and the adjacent 
waters.'* 

The wall-eye is quite common in most of the 
rivers and lakes of New York, New Jersey, and 
Pennsylvania, and it seems to thrive well wherever 
it is placed. 

DACE AND CHUB 

This bright, silvery little fish is very abundant, 

and delights in rapid, rocky portions of large 

streams and in the deeper channels of the clear 

running brooks. It is one of the largest of the min- 

80 



Popular Bottom Fresh=Water Fish 

now family, reaching a length of eighteen inches, 
and about two pounds in weight. It is extremely 
common in the Delaware River and 
its tributaries, and is moderately 
abundant in the Susquehanna. Both in shape 
and movement it is not unlike the brook trout, 
with which it lives in amiable relations, although 
it will live in water of a much higher temperature 
than the trout; still, it prefers cold and rapid 
streams. Like other common and familiar fishes, 
it is called by many names in different localities, 
some of which are: silver chub, cousin trout, 
roach, the corporal, and many others. When 
half grown it is netted and used extensively as 
bait, being hardy, bright, and silvery in color. 
Trout anglers have no liking for it, because it 
constantly rises and takes the fly intended for 
more desirable fish. In smaller rivers, like the 
Beaverkill, it is so numerous that twenty dace 
will rise to one trout, but they often rise short, 
getting just pricked on the lips, so that they are 
very often whipped off in recasting the fly. I 
have caught them on every possible bait; they will 
take a small artificial or live mouse, a silver min- 
now, helgramite, or small frog; but for all-round 
fishing they give more play on the artificial fly, 
or live worm. In running water, the regular 
trout tackle is best suited to dace 
the ^Iv^" fishing, a light nine-foot rod, oil-silk 
line, with a six-foot leader and small, 
easy-running, click reel. For worm fishing, the 
hook should be No. 9 to 11; no leader, smkers, 
81 



Fish and Fishing 

or float are necessary, as dace are always looking 
to the surface for passing food. The fish, on see- 
ing it, darts quickly above from below, and takes 
it with surprising quickness. The mouth of the 
dace is not large like that of perch, eel, or catfish, so 
that at times it misses taking the hook, but often 
manages to take the worm. On being hooked, it 
fights desperately for a time, running back and 
forth in rapid succession; sometimes, though 
rarely, it will rise above the surface. When a 
fish is hooked that measures over twelve inches 
in length, it should be gently led to the shore; and 
played over the pebbles, or sand, from out of the 
water; if a net is not handy, do not attempt to 
lift a large dace bodily from the water; a small 
hand net is indispensable; small fish can be lifted 
to be unhooked, and basketed. They are so 
plentiful, and bite so vigorously, that the basket 
is easily filled, and in place of trout they make, 
so far as game is concerned, a very fair substi- 
tute. They take bait at all times and seasons, 
and are equally voracious with the artificial fly, 
so long as it is small in size; all flies are alike to 
them, though the black gnat is taken most often. 
It matters not where the cast is made, in the centre 
of the stream or at the sides, they dart for it. I 
had quite a large one playing some 

OifalitSs ti"^^' ^^^ w^s quite sure it was a 
trout, till it gave a leap from the water 
nearly two feet high. Much to my surprise I found 
it to be an unusually gamy dace. This was in 
very rapid deep water. In pond or lake fishing 
82 



Popular Bottom Fresh=Water Fish 

for dace, with worms, exactly the same method 
and tackle should be used as in fishing for sun- 
fish, but in quiet water their actions are not nearly 
so gamy in resisting capture, nor do they grow so 
large, if the same water contains the ravenous 
pike or bass. Another species, called the red fin 
or golden shiner, is often caught on the fly and on 
the worm. 

The chub is a very leathery-mouthed and 
hardy fish. It is coarser and more bony, but very 
much handsomer in form and color. Much 
stouter tackle is required when angling for chub 
than for the dace. The chub, in some waters, 
grows to the weight of five or six pounds. On 
bright days, a fly is the best method of catching 
this fish, and good sport may be had from an 
anchored boat by throwing the fly just under the 
bushes which overhang the banks of the stream, 
", as it is characteristic of this fish to lie 

under trees and bushes, waiting for in- 
sects which drop from them. A good method 
of angling for chub is to hook a live grasshopper 
through the shoulders and draw the bait along 
the surface, and then gradually get under the 
water. Chub are extremely shy, and the angler 
should keep out of sight as much as possible. 
Chub will take minnows and worms. For such 
bait, fish either with a float or without a float; 
sinkers should be attached to place the bait on 
the bottom; then move it slowly along. 

When a chub is hooked, give it plenty of line, 
for it shoots violently away in a few seconds, but 
83 



Fish and Fishing 

soon gives up the fight. The chub is not held in 
any great esteem as food for the table, its flesh 
being very coarse and hard. 

CARP 

The carp is a native of Asia, and was intro- 
duced into America in 1831; its acclimation has 
been wonderfully successful, especially in the 

South, where it continues to ejrow 
Introduced t^i'oughout the year, and sometimes 

attains a remarkable size. It is a 
favorite of thousands of modest fresh-water anglers 
whose pleasure lies in quiet, peaceful delight, in 
the midst of restful scenery of the woods and 
meadows. The carp is a handsome fish, with 
scales large in size and of a golden bronze color. 
There are numerous species of this family. The 
. mirrow, or king carp, is named on ac- 

count of the few and extraordinarily 
large scales, which run along the body in three or 
four rows, the rest of the body being bare. The 
leather carp has on its back either only a few 
scales or none at all, and possesses a thick, soft 
skin which feels velvety to the touch. Then 
there is a golden carp, popular in small ponds 
and household aquariums. The common carp 
has become very abundant in certain lakes and 
rivers; those found in the latter are much the best 
for the angler and are of better flavor. 

It prefers a muddy bottom, feeding principally 
on vegetable food, the seeds of water-lilies, wild 
84 




POPULAR BOTTOM FRESH-WATER FISH 



Popular Bottom Fresh=Watcr Fish 

rice, and water oats. In captivity it will eat let- 
tuce, cabbage, soaked barley, wheat, rice, corn, 
insects and their larv?e, worms, and meats 
of various kinds. They can readily be 
caught with dough, grains of wheat, worms, mag- 
gots, and sometimes pieces of meat or fish. The 
carp is very tenacious of life, more so than any 
other fresh-water fish, with the exception of the 
catfish and eel. To insure the best sport when 
angling for carp requires great preparation and 
care. The line should be entirely of medium- 
sized round gut, clouded gut preferred, and a 
very light porcupine quill float, with one good- 
sized shot, placed about six inches from the hook, 
which should be a No. 5 or 6. Bait it with a 
red worm, which should rest exactly on the bot- 
tom. The night before fishing a quantity of 
ground bait, composed of bread, kneaded into 
little balls, should be thrown in the place. Early 
in the morning, or late in the evening, 
Fishinff ^ ^^ much the best time for carp fishing, 
and the all-important thing is to keep 
out of sight, as the carp is very shy and will not 
touch the bait if it sees the angler. A forked stick 
can be put in the bank for the rod to rest on while 
the angler moves back out of sight, where he can 
lie down and so watch the float. Do not strike 
for some time after the float goes under; wait till 
it moves away, then strike hard, as the carp has 
a tough mouth and there is little chance of losing 
it. Carp fishing is a difficult and uncertain oper- 
ation, especially if the fish are large; they are 
85 



Fish and Fishing 

very shy and wary and patient; staying around 
for some time before they touch the bait. 

Young carp, of two pounds or less, take the bait 
easier, and sometimes large ones will not be taken 
at all; some anglers, while fishing, throw worms 
into the water to get them near the bait; there is 
no fear of overfeeding as their appetite is unlim- 
ited. The carp is now rapidly coming into de- 
mand as a market fish; from the Illinois River 
alone, over six million pounds are taken annu- 
ally. New York City consumes over 
seven million pounds yearly. Big fish 
are taken in large numbers from the lakes Erie, 
Chautauqua and Ontario, and from these waters 
are fairly good eating; but if taken from small 
stagnant ponds, they are both tough and of a very 
peculiar muddy taste. When hooked they pull 
pretty hard, but make no fight. Their excessive 
shyness makes angling for them much more inter- 
esting sport than it would otherwise be. 

SUNFISH 

The little sunfish is one of hardiest and prettiest 
species of the fresh- water fish. North and South, 
wherever clear water is to be found, this little 
favorite is ready at all times to gratify the eager 
young angler. In the South it is known as the 
bream or brim; in other localities as the sunfish, 
pond fish, tobacco box or pumpkin seed, which it 
is supposed to resemble. The sunfish grows to a 
length of eight inches and a weight of half a 
86 



Popular Bottom Fresh=Water Fish 

pound. In coloration it rivals the gayly tinted 
fishes of the coral reefs in tropical seas. It is 

well armed with a fierce array of spines, 
Names^ and shows a temper, especially after 

nest building, unusual in small-sized 
fishes; consequently they thrive and multiply al- 
most beyond belief in ponds and streams too 
small for bass, and too warm for trout. It pre- 
fers clear and still water, living in and about weeds 
and grasses. Sunfish are gamy and eager biters, 
and earthworms are their delight; they will rise 
readily to a very small artificial fly, with a vim and 
dash much in the manner of the black bass, their 
bold and larger cousins. Like the perch, any 
old tackle will catch them at times, but if proper 
angling oufit is used, larger fish, and more gamy 
fish are caught. 

A regular eight-foot bamboo rod should be used, 
not too pliable or too stiff; such a rod covers the 
wants of all fresh-water bottom-living fish, but the 

"sunny " needs finer tackle than the perch. 

The size of hooks should be from 8 to 10, 

and the float should be small, for the fish takes 

the bait with such a snap, running away at a. 

clipping pace, keeping the float on the move all 

the time. Adjust the float so that the bait hangs 

a foot from the bottom. Place two or three No. 

8 split shots about six inches apart from the 

snell, to sink the bait. Have the worms 

small and of a pinkish color, putting only 

one worm on the hook, and be very careful to 

loop it over the shank, leaving a small end to wig- 

87 



Fish and Fishing 

gle in the water. In fishing for sunnies, there is 
httle advantage in moving from place to place — if 
the fish stop biting, throw a few worms in the 
water to attract them to the bait, as sunfish shoal 
together in large numbers; throw the bait in 
gently without much splash. 

The outfit for fly fishing is similar to that of 
brook trout, but two flies are sufiicient on a three- 
foot leader; use the smallest of flies. They 
should be cast on the surface of the water, as 
the fish dart up from below to seize them. The 
best flies are black gnat, gray or brown palmer, 
and the coachman, but any flies will do, if they 
are of the smallest possible size. As 
Capture *^^ sunfish has a particularly hard and 
bony mouth, it may not be hooked firm, 
often being held by a thin skin; so that it will be 
safer if a small hand net be provided. In fish- 
ing a stream, cast the fly down a runway, and let 
it go into quiet water, for sunfish choose to lie in 
still places; wherever the force of the water takes 
the fly it will turn off and circle around the sun- 
ny 's hiding place. In such runways, a worm is 
just as effective, indeed more so, because nature 
is imitated exactly. 

Another good fishing ground is near the shores 
of large lakes ; throw the line in between the weeds 
in open places — the float will keep the line from 
getting entangled. The best time for fishing is 
from sunset to dark. A nice string of a dozen 
sunfish, weighing a half pound each, makes a 
very agreeable and palatable dish, if fried in hot 
88 



Popular Bottom Fresh=Watcr Fish 

fat, sharp and crisp. They arc better eating than 
perch, but not so sweet or flaky as the bass. 



PERCH 

Yellow perch, also known as ring perch, striped 
perch, and raccoon perch, are among the most 

strikingly marked and best known 
Lo^Uty"'* fresh-water fishes. They are found 

from Nova Scotia to North Carolina 
in coastwise waters, and are very abundant in 
large ponds, lakes, and many of the streams. 

They are ready biters, strong and voracious 
feeders, and can be caught on any bait: minnows, 
worms, crickets, grasshoppers, small frogs, craw- 
fish, and small spoons. They will rise to an arti- 
ficial fly, and will ravenously take one of the 
brightly colored fins of their own species, if placed 
on a hook and skittered quickly over the surface. 
Perch frequent quiet waters of moderate depth, 
pools under hollow rocks, eddies and shady 
reaches in the meadow brooks, creeks, and canals, 
preferring the sides of the streams to the swift 
currents, and sandy and pebbly rather than muddy 
bottoms. In mill ponds they are likely to be 
found in deep waters just above the dam. They 
sometimes descend into brackish water, where 
they become large and very firm-fleshed. In 
muddy pools they often assume a golden color, 
but are soft of flesh and not well flavored. They 
love to be among long weeds, grasses, and lily- 
pads in large lakes, and seem to thrive in neigh- 
89 



Fish and Fishing 

borly friendship with the bass, pike, and pickerel. 
Their strong array of sharp spines probably pro- 
tects them from those savage and predaceous 
fishes. They are gregarious, and always in schools, 
each school about a uniform size, whether 
large or small. When the young angler 
meets a school of large perch, he may capture 
every one if he be noiseless and wary. The 
usual length of the yellow perch is less than ten 
inches, and its average weight less than a pound, 
though specimens have been caught up to four 
pounds. The simplest way to catch perch is 
with the boy's standard outfit: a pole, stout line, 
large float, and heavy sinker, with a 
Caoture* worm or minnow for bait. This, how- 
ever, is only effective when the water 
is muddy and the perch numerous and hungry. 
For wary, large fish, in clear water, more delicate 
tackle is necessary. The line should be fine, of 
enamelled silk, a fly rod of six ounces, a light 
click reel, and a small three-foot leader, with two 
flies on No. 7 hooks. The yellow perch is just 
as good fishing as speckled trout, size for size, 
eager to rise, bold to a degree, and it fights to a 
finish. For worm or minnow fishing, the float 
should be small and well balanced, shot for sink- 
ers, only heavy enough to keep the float steady. 
Suspend the bait a foot from the bottom, moving 
it up and down in a gentle manner. No. 5 or 
6 hooks on snells, with a small swivel to con- 
nect the line, may be used. Always have live 
worms either placed to touch the bottom, or two 
90 



Popular Bottom Fresh=Water Fish 

feet from bottom in running water, so that they 
drift back and forth. This method ap{)Hes to 
grasshoppers and crickets, with No. 5 to No. 3 
hooks. Grasshoppers should be hooked through 
the shoulders; both they and crickets will live 
for some time if hooked in that way. Hook small 
minnows through the lips, the point coming out 
on tip of nose. When the fish strikes, take plenty 
of time, so that it can gorge the bait; only strike 
after it has moved away. It should be struck 
with a sharp move of the wrist, not a savage 
pull or long jerk. A perch makes two or three runs 
up to the surface and down ; give it a chance, and 
let it play. 

Trolling or casting with small single-hook spoon 
or live minnow without spoon, will invariably 
capture large perch in lakes and ponds. The 
boat should be rowed along the side of weed beds, 
exactly in the manner of fishing for pickerel. 
In fishing for perch the angler cannot be too care- 
ful in unhooking these spike-armed 
PI* ^ heroes. In fly fishing for perch the 
best time is when the water is gently 
rippled, or from sundown to dark; and in casting, 
it is well to let the fly sink about a foot and jerk 
it sharply through the water. Any trout or bass 
fly tied on No. 5 to No. 3 hook is effective. I 
have caught perch on brown palmer, coachman, 
and silver doctor. 

In the fall perch become more wary, especially 
the large ones. When perch are caught in stag- 
nant pools and muddy lakes, before cooking them 
91 



Fish and Fishing 

it is best to take the skin off; by so doing, the 
muddy taste is avoided. When caught in running 
water or cool spring-fed lakes, it is only necessary 
to take off the scales; for game or edible pur- 
poses, choose, when possible, a running stream to 
fish in. 

EELS 

The common eel is another bottom fish that 
is caught extensively by hand lines, at evening 
and night time, because it is nocturnal in its 

habits, sleeping or lying in the mud 
Fish*^ during the day. It is a most voracious 

feeder, devouring great quantities of 
the fry of other fishes. Nothing in the shape of 
living things comes amiss to an eel; everything 
that lives in the water it will prey upon. They 
are very powerful and rapid swimmers, and on 
light tackle give good sport. Eels have been 
known to grow to a length of four feet, but the 
average is two feet. They breed in salt water; 
both the adults and the young ascend the streams 
from the sea a distance of 500 miles. They are 
often found in the long grass of shallow, running 
streams. In such conditions they are more diffi- 
cult to catch, and more agreeable to eat. The 

best way to angle for eels is to drop the 
Capture ^^^^ ^^ some sandy or muddy bottom, 

always near long grass or weeds. Use 

a strong, light rod, without reel, and have the line 

tied at the tip; or if the angler wishes to play 

it with the reel in the usual way, considerable 

92 



Popular Bottom Fresh=Water Fish 

sport may be had, because the fish wiggles in all 
kinds of holes, and no amount of tugging will 
loosen him; for that reason both line and gut 
leader should be stout and strong. A float may 
be attached to the line to keep the bait out of 
and between weed patches. Use No. 7 or 8 
hooks, baited with a small red worm, which 
. should be allowed to drag and lie at the 
bottom. Worms, if alive, are more at- 
tractive to eels than anything else, both in pond 
and river fishing. The eel requires considerable 
indulgence when it takes the bait; as soon as it 
is pulled out of the water, stamp the foot across 
its body, holding the line tight with one hand 
and with the other cutting through its gills with 
a sharp knife, taking care not to cut the gut snell 
which is always some distance down its throat. 
This is the most humane and quickest method 
to prevent the slippery rascal from tying the line 
full of knots, and very often breaking the line and 
so getting away. Good eel fishing is best near 
dams and mill wheels. To one sitting on the bank 
at evening, properly prepared with bait and tackle, 
and a small lantern, this fish provides quite a 
diversion. Eel fishing in salt water is also very 

popular when it is done from a boat, 
Eels"^ '^ which should be anchored near the 

edge of channels on soft and sandy, 
or muddy bottoms. Use a simple, stout hand line 
with a strong leader and heavy sinker, to keep 
the bait on the bottom. Eels will not rise from 
the bottom for their food, so it is necessary to 
93 



Fish and Fishing ^ 

attach the hooks quite close to the sinker and 
two or three hooks may be used, preferably No. 
8 to 10 sprout. 

By far the best bait in salt water is the shedder 
crab, but sand worms, killies, clams, or even 
pieces of fish will take them. Many anglers use 
a long-shanked hook, which is more convenient to 
hold the fish from wiggling, and makes it easier 
to take the fish from the hook. 

When the fish bites, strike hard, and if hooked, 
lose no time in bringing it up over the side of the 
boat. After it is boated, get a good tight grip on 
the body, with the help of the fine; then slap the 
tail smartly on the edge of the boat, stunning the 
fish. Then take out the hook. Another species 
of eel is called the conger-eel; it sometimes 
grows to a weight of thirty pounds. It is a 
savage brute, with long jaws lined with 
pfsh sharp teeth, and it snaps viciously at 

everything in sight. The best way to 
kill it is to rap it sharply on the head with a stout 
stick or piece of iron. The eels are all very 
palatable eating, especially those caught in clear, 
running water; the flavor is sweet, and the flesh 
nutritious. If well cooked, either boiled, fried, 
or stewed, or even pickled and salted, they make 
a savory dish. 

THE CATFISH OR BULL-HEAD 

The right name of this popular and well-known 
fish is the horned pout, and it is of a wide distribu- 
94 



Popular Bottom Fresh=Water Fish 

lion, being found in ponds, lakes, and streams 
all over the United States and Canada. It multi- 
plies so rapidly in any kind of water that it soon 
clears out all edible matter which would be useful 
food for better fish. This species reaches a maxi- 
mum length of eighteen inches and a weight of 
four ])ounds, but the average size of market speci- 
mens is much smaller. There are 
and Ipcc^s ^^^^y species of this family, each re- 
joicing in a number of names, the 
largest kind being the lake catfish, which is some- 
times caught in the Mississippi River weighing 
over one hundred pounds. In Lake Erie, specimens 
have been taken up to fifty pounds. The United 
States Bureau of Fisheries propagates and distrib- 
utes the most valuable members of the family, the 
channel catfish, spotted cat, yellow cat, black 
cat, marbled cat, blue cat, black bull-head, and 
the pout. They are all dull, slow-moving fish, 
but when hooked are surprisingly lively. 

The catfish are a hardy race, and are very 

tenacious of life, opening and shutting their 

mouths half an hour after their heads have been 

severed, and so prolific that, in some places, the 

water seems a living mass of fish. When the 

mature fish grow to a large size they feed on the 

young of their own species if their food is scarce. 

Many instances are recorded where a 

small fish having been hooked, a larger 

fish has taken it and swallowed it, and so got 

caught. The catfish retains its freshness much 

longer than any other fish, and it has compara- 

95 



Fish and Fishing 

tively few bones. Some writers consider it the 
most unattractive fish of our fresh waters, and to 
catch it represents the lowest depths of depravity 
in fishing with hook and fine. 

The catfish is a ready and voracious feeder, 
any kind of bait being greedily swallowed, and 
a large fish, when it feels the hook, goes for some 
distance at astonishing speed, pulling and tugging 
with bull-like strength. In angling for them, the 
worm is the most convenient bait. They will 
take minnows, grasshoppers, small frogs, a piece 
of salt mackerel or salt pork, as well as pieces of 
fresh fish cut from the under part of chub, perch, 
or sunfish; as the catfish always gorges the bait, 
the hook is easier to extract if it is a good size. 

No. 5 or 6 Limerick hooks will do. Use a light 

ten-foot rod of native cane, with a line of twisted 

silk tied to the tip of the same length as the rod. 

No reel is required. A three-foot leader, 

like the one used for perch, makes the 

line stand up in the water, and a float is also an 

advantage; it keeps the line from floating toward 

the angler, and is easier to cast among the weeds. 

Two hooks can be tied, one touching the bottom, 

baited with dead fish or pork; the other, six 

inches above, on which is placed a worm; they 

soon go for the bait, if the fish are plentiful, and the 

float goes under surface. The fish is sure 

Cai^ure *^ ^^ ^^^^' ^^^ there is no need to hurry; 

when it is pulled ashore or in the boat, 

take care how it is handled, as the horns on its fins 

make nasty wounds. The hook will be far down 

96 



Popular Bottom Fresh=Water Fish 

the throat; the best way to extract it is to sHt open 
the stomach to the gills. Never lift the fish bodily 
from the water, for the reason, as often hapj^ens, 
that bass and trout may have taken the bait, and 
by that means get lost. There is no special time 
to fish, any time will do, though the hot months of 
July and August are best. To properly skin them, 
the head should be cut from below, leaving the 
skin attached to the shoulders. By placing a 
small pinch of salt on the fingers, a tighter grip 
on the skin will enable you easily to pull it from 
the body. The fish can then be cleaned and 
afterward placed in salt water — extra salt if the 
fish is taken from stagnant water; after being in 
salt water a few hours, they can be sharply and 
quickly fried in hot fat. If cooked without being 
skinned they are quite disagreeable in taste. 



97 



CHAPTER IV 

Popular Bottom Sea Fish 
SEA-BASS 

This fish has an enormous appetite, and k 
well known to be a most determined and persist- 
ent biter. Its range is from north of 
Hablti"*"^ Cape Cod to the sandy coast of Texas. 
Round about New York, Long Island, 
and New Jersey it is plentiful and common. 

During the breeding season the male develops 
a large hump on its shoulders, which takes away 
the fine shapely appearance which distinguishes 
the female. It has a large powerful mouth, and 
will take a generous bait of almost anything 
that is eatable. It spends its time nosing about 
loose stones, in cavities of rocks that have sea- 
weed growing upon them, where they get vari- 
ous crabs, fishes, and other creatures, in water 
from twenty to fifty feet deep. They are a bot- 
tom-feeding fish and rarely come to the surface. 
The best time to catch them is during their feed- 
ing time, which is during the lull of the waters 
between the turn of the tides. The largest fish 
are caught on the fishing banks, where steamers, 
98 



Popular Bottom Sea Fish 

during the greater part of the year, make daily 
trips — to the Cholera Banks, off Sandy Hook and 
Long Branch, where they are caught 
Found weighing from four to eight pounds. 
Those caught in the bays, estuaries and 
back waters are much smaller, weighing half a 
pound to two pounds. The best place to angle 
for them is in deep channels, holes under sedgy 
banks, and over wrecks, or on bottoms where 
the black mussel is found. They will take 
bait from Decoration Day to October, but the 
larger-sized fish are taken in inside waters from 
September to October. Like the fresh-water 
bass, it will sometimes break water, but not until 
drawn near the boat, when suddenly it makes a 
vicious leap, shaking its solid body in all sorts of 
^^Tiggling and muscular contortions; from the 
moment the hook gets in its leathery jaws, it 
makes a steady fight and dies hard, considering 
its size. Almost any bait is suitable, skimmer 
clams, mossbunkers, shedder crabs, live 
killies, pieces of clam, sand worms, shrimps, 
and cut menhaden; all of these, it will take with 
avidity, for the sea-bass is always on the feed. 

The tackle used should be a good, stout rod, 
multiplying reel, and a strong line of generous 
length. Leaders are only necessary when 
fishing for the big, yellow autumn bass, 
which are very shy and wary. Late in the season, 
use a No. 2 sprout hook or Carlisle. A heavy 
sinker is required, to hold firmly on the bottom, 
and the hooks should be tied quite close to the 
99 



POPULAR BOTTOIV. 



Fish and Fishing 

sinker. Some use only one hook, others use two, 
each having on a different bait. In baiting with 
shrimps, place two or three together on the same 
hook, for this fish is one of the few that go for the 
largest bait and, as his mouth is so ample, he is 
sure to be well hooked with a big bait. At the 
turn of the tide the angler is sure to be busy for 
the short time it lasts. The feeding ground ex- 
tends along the coast from Delaware to Maine, 
wherever the sea- weed grows from beds of mussels. 
It is eminently a coast fish, seldom venturing far 
above the bays and back waters; as a food fish, the 
meat of the sea-bass is excellent; as a game fish 
it may be placed next in rank to its cousin the 
striped bass. The sea-bass is known in various 
places as the blackfish, black Will, black Harvey 
hannahills, blue-fish, rock bass, black bass, and 
by many other titles. 

TAUTOG OR BLACKFISH 

The tautog is one of the species of parrot fishes, 
stockily built, with hard scales, and harder mouth; 
it is slippery as an eel, and salt-water anglers like 
to fish for it because of its strength and hard fight- 
ing. Although not a large fish, only averaging 
two to three pounds, individuals weighing ten 
and even fourteen pounds are by no means un- 
usual. The largest tautog on record was obtained 
near New York and weighed nearly twenty-three 
pounds. It is found in greater and lesser abun- 
dance from St. Johns to Charleston, S. C, and is 
100 




POPULAR BOTTOM SEA FISH 



Popular Bottom Sea Fish 

known in various places as hlackfish, tautog, 
chub, moll. Will gorge, and oyster fish. East of 
New York it is usually called tautog, 
Names^ a name given to it by the Narragansett 
Indians. As may be inferred from its 
haunts and the character of its strong, sharp 
teeth, the tautog's food consists of hard-shelled 
mollusks, squids, scallops, barnacles, and sand 
dollars; many of the mollusks they swallow, shells 
and all, ejecting the hard parts after the flesh has 
been digested. Angling from the rocks for the 
tautog is a favorite pursuit all along 
Caueift *^^ coast, particularly about New York, 
where there are precipitous shores, on 
which the fishermen stand. On Long Island Sound 
and other protected waters they are usually fished 
for from boats anchored among the reefs, or near 
wrecked vessels, and shell-covered piles and 
wharfs; rocky bottoms are very good places. 
At some places they bite best on the flood tide; 
in others they are voracious during the ebb tide. 
Some anglers bait for them by throwing overboard 
broken clams or crabs to induce them to re- 
new their visit. In April and May we have the 
best angling; though they frequent local waters 
all through the summer, not many are caught 
in the hot months until fishing begins again in 
October and November. The best bait 
pfshinz '^^ ^^^ spring is the clam, preferably soft- 
shell clam, for at this time, many anglers 
say, the tautog has a tender mouth. In the fall, 
both lobsters and crabs, as well as fiddler and 
101 



Fish and Fishing 

rock crabs, are the favorite bait; sometimes they 
will take shrimp and sand worms. 

Large numbers of tautog are caught by the 
anglers who go out daily on the fishing steamers 
in the open sea. All, or nearly all, use the regu- 
lation salt-water tackle : a short, stout and heavy 
rod, strong line, and large wooden reel. Such 
tackle is necessary for outside fishing, and the 
hook should be very strong but not large in size. 
For inside fishing lighter tackle will do — the hooks 
the same. In baiting the hook with a small crab 
it should be done in the same manner 
Baiti^ng ^^ ^^^ sheepshead, viz., the point passed 
through the belly to the back near the 
head. A shrimp should be hooked by placing the 
point near the tail, underneath, afterward drawing 
the shrimp over; by such a method it will live 
longer. The sinker should be a heavy one, and 
the two hooks should be tied about six inches 
apart, as near the sinker as possible. No leader 
is required, but the gut snells must be very strong 
to withstand the sharp teeth when the fish is tug- 
ging at the bottom. When fishing inside waters, 
arrange so that the boat can be anchored near 
the edge of the tide, close to a rapid current, 
where the reefs or rocks are about twenty or 
thirty feet deep. 

The tautog is supplied with a pair of strong 
crushers, situated in the back part of its mouth, 
and consisting of two flat groups of ball-shaped 
teeth between which they crush small shell-fish 
before swallowing. When it takes the bait it 
102 



Popular Bottom Sea Fish 

passes it on to the crushers, when a pecuhar suc- 
cession of bites is felt by the angler, who loses 

many a fine fish by being too hasty to 
" T^k^n* hook it. After the first indication is felt 

of a fish taking the bait, it should be 
struck sharply. The tautog bites like a sheeps- 
head, but with less power. It is an adept at get- 
ting hooks or sinkers fast in the clefts, for as soon 
as it bites and feels the barb it darts under or be- 
tween rocks, leaving the angler thankful if the 
fish liberates the hook or sinker at the price of 
freedom. 



THE KINGFISH 

The kingfish is perhaps the gamest for its size 
of bottom feeders that inhabit salt water. All 
anglers have the the best opinion of it, and with 
one accord, after it is landed exclaim, "What a 
dandy!" Its gamy qualities, its beauty of color 
and form, as well as its excellent flavor, 
caused the loyal citizens of New York 
in Colonial days to call this species the kingfish. 
In former times when they were much more abun- 
dant in New York Bay, the kingfish and small 
striped bass were the crowning glory of old-time 
anglers. The kingfish is also known as the hake 
on the coast of New Jersey and Delaware, as the 
tomcod on the coast of Connecticut, the barb, 
and black mullet in the Chesapeake, the sea mink 
in North Carolina, and sometimes also in the 
South as the whiting. 

103 



Fish and Fishing 

It appears quite early in the spring with the 
weakfish, and is found a good deal in company 

with it; like that fish it seems to prefer a 
Caueht ^^S^^^ mixture of fresh water, as is shown 

by its keeping in the mouth of rivers and 
running farther up during the dry season. It 
takes the bait quite readily, though it is not caught 
in anything like the same number in a given time 
as the weakfish, thirty or forty at a single tide 
being considered a splendid catch for one boat. 
They bite readily at hard or soft clams or small 
pieces of fish and are taken most successfully on 
the early flood tide. They may be captured on 
or near oyster beds, especially when the oysters 
are being taken up. Its mouth though small is 
hard and leathery, and when once hooked it is 
sure to be fast; however much it fights it rarely 
gets off. In taking the bait they have a variety 
of ways in going for it, sometimes with just a 
nibble that is hardly felt; at others they rush at 
it with the greatest fury, racing off with long runs 
from right to left, sometimes going at a clipping 
pace right around the boat; in this way the gamy 
fighter keeps it up till safely landed, when the 
. angler will be surprised at the deter- 

mined resistance a fish of but two 
pounds can and does make. Though I have 
never seen it, it is said at times to break water 
if the line is held taut, playing exactly like the 
small-mouth bass, with rushes to the bottom, 
and pulling and tugging in angry jerks. The 
proper tackle for so bold a fish is a light pliant 
104 



Popular Bottom Sea Fish 

rod and multiplying reol, a strong line of linen, 
measuring at least fifty yards, a swivel sinker 
with a three-foot leader. There should be two 
hooks, sprout or Aberdeen preferred, size No. 1 
to 3. 

The best bait is shedder crabs or sand worms; 
also shrimps, blood worms, and clams are ef- 
fective. In August, the kingfish can be 
Baits caught along the south side of Long Island, 
off the Jersey coast, at Atlantic City, Long 
Branch, and Barnegat Inlet. Farther South they 
are yet more numerous. In size, this fish varies 
from one to six pounds; the average being two. 
In surf fishing, the best time is the first of the 
flood tide; in this situation, with plenty of room, 
the kingfish is seen at its best, swiftly swimming 
long distances near the bottom; after a very long 
run, it stops to jigger and shake, finally breaking 
w^ater fifty to one hundred yards from the rod, if 
sufficient line is given it; and one will wonder 
after landing a fish which has taken half an 
hour to kill, that it weighs scarcely three pounds. 
The angler is sure of one point in his favor, for 
certainly no bottom-loving fish plays such a game 
for the angler's real delight. The cook, as well 
as the epicure, will be fully assured of another, 
that no fish that swims the sea makes a better 
dish. 

PLAICE 

No seafish is so popular or so well knovm as 
this; it is called by a variety of names, which are 
105 



Fish and Fishing 

often confounded with other species. In some 
locaHties it is called plaice, summer flounder or 
turbot flounder; whereas the flounder is known as 
the flatfish, winter flounder, mud-dab and nigger 
fish. The two can be easily distinguished by 
the plaice having a large mouth, and the flounder 
a very small one. Next to the halibut, the plaice 
is the most important and valuable flatfish on the 
Eastern coast. It averages in size from two to 
eight pounds, though specimens have been caught 
up to twenty-five pounds. It corresponds with 
two highly prized, but somewhat rare fish caught 
on the English coast, known as the turbot and 
the brill. Like others of their species, the plaice 
habitually lie upon the bottom, where their pe- 
culiar shape and color protect them from obser- 
vation, and also give them an excellent opportunity 
to capture their prey. They are found mostly 
in bays, where the bottom is muddy 
and grassy, and in shoal water, along 
sandy reaches of the coast and bays. Plaice 
may be taken from the early part of June till 
October. In Florida they are taken throughout 
the year, most pentifully in the summer months. 
They feed on small fish, shrimps, crabs, squid, 
and are frequently seen at the surface of the water, 
rapidly swimming and even jumping above the 
surface in pursuit of sand eels and sand smelts. 
Favorite fishing grounds are on sandy bottoms 
at a depth of eight or ten fathoms, or in channels 
near the sides, and they can be taken either from 
a boat at anchor, or one that drifts slowly along 
106 



Popular Bottom Sea Fish 

with the tide. The method is to fish with one 
hook six inches from the bottom, and another 
hook two feet above it, tied on a strong three- 
foot leader; use a sinker just heavy enough to 
hold to the bottom, with live killies for bait, 
though herring, s}:)earing, and mossbunker will 
do; if no live bait is available .small strips of 
snapper, or porgy, cut in the shape of a fish will 
often be a taking bait. Hook the killie by in- 
serting the point into the back, near the dorsal 
fin ; then pass it along under the skin toward the 
tail as far as the bend of the hook will permit; 
then, again push it through the skin to clear the 
barb. 

Drifting is the method for fluke. When the 
bait rig is out, and is being trailed along, its dis- 
tance from the boat should be at least 
six times that of the depth of the water 
where fishing. When still fishing the killie can 
swim about as if entirely free. The most success- 
ful rig for local waters is a leader four feet long, 
fastened a few inches above the sinker, a No. 5/0 
Kirby-Limerick hook tied to the end of the leader, 
and another a foot from it. In drifting, the long 
eel grass and sea- weed will collect on the line, leav- 
ing the bait on and near the end of the long leader 
clear. In using these long leaders, do not allow 
the lead to go to the bottom too fast, because the 
leader will go down parallel with the line and be- 
come entangled. Use heavy sinkers according to 
the thickness of the line. When the fish takes 
the bait, the strike should be followed up with a 
107 



Fish and Fishing 

gentle jerk of sufficient force to embed the hook 
firmly and to rouse the fish into action. 

The advantages of fishing for plaice are these: 
they can be fished for at any time of day or night; 
no waiting for tides and certain 
Daf Rshtng ^inds of weather; they are hungry 
all the time, and always willing 
to take what is offered to them. They have a 
rugged and powerful mode of resistance, especially 
the larger fish, which often succeed in getting off 
the hook or breaking the tackle, for they fight all 
the way till taken from the water. 

If cooked when fresh they are exceeding good 
eating, the flesh being white, juicy, and of good 
flavor. When filleted they make an excellent 
substitute for the famous English sole. 

FLOUNDER 

Next in importance to the plaice is the flounder, 
sometimes called the winter flounder, and also 
the flatfish; it is much more abundant and does 
not grow to so large a size as the plaice. 

The flounder is a cold-weather fish, biting 
from February to the beginning of May, and again 
Cold from October to December. They are 

Weather always on the bottom, feeding on shells, 
IS ing young crabs, or whatever they can find 
among the stones and in the mud. They prefer 
soft, black mud bottoms, and the boat should be 
anchored half-way between the middle of the 
channel and the edges. At high tide they scatter 
108 




POPULAR BOTTOM SEA FISH 



Popular Bottom Sea Fish 

well over the flats; at low tide they gather together 
in the centre of channels. Their mouths are very 
small, and as they would be unable to seize and 
kill other fish, they never come to the surface in 
search of their prey, as do the large-mouthed plaice. 

If the angler does not succeed in getting bites, 
it often happens that the fish lie buried in the mud, 
so that if the bottom is raked with the anchor 
or with the oar it will often stir them up to take 
the bait; and if the sinker is a heavy one and gets 
embedded, move it around to stir up 
Hookr^" the bottom. The hooks should be 
small, and placed within a few inches 
of the sinker. The best baits are sand worms, 
clams, and mussels. 

There is very little sport in landing flounders, 
because they rarely attain a weight of over two 
pounds, but they make up in numbers what they 
lack in weight, and the angler more often than 
not fills his basket with this toothsome little fish. 
If fried when fresh, they are equal to any salt- 
water fish in sweetness and nutriment. 

The rod is of little service in flounder fishing. 
Hand fines are invariably the rule; just a simple 
line, snelled hook, and sinker. No leader is re- 
quired. Two or three hooks may be attached 
if the fish are plentiful, and it is not uncommon 
for three fish to be hauled in at 
Bottom"'*''^ once. All the hooks should, how- 
ever, be as near the sinker and the 
bottom as possible; for that reason a small wire 
spreader can be attached whereby the three 
109 



Fish and Fishing 

hooks can be tied, all of even length from the 
wire, about six inches, the same distance as the 
sinker. Like the plaice, they are ever ready to 
bite at all times during the day or night, and 
v^^ind and tide play no part in the success of their 
capture. 

LAFAYETTE 

The name Lafayette was given this fish by 
the New York fishermen in consequence of its 
reappearance in large numbers in that region 
having been coincident with the arrival of Lafay- 
ette in this country in 1824. It had been known 
before that time, but only in scattering numbers. 
Dr. Tarleton Bean says that the name "spot" is 
derived from the presence of a dark blotch, about 
as big as the eye, near the root of the pectoral 
fin. 

Other names of this species are: goody, old 
wife, roach, and chub. The spot swarms on the 
Eastern coast during the hot months 
Names^ of July and August, and is caught as 
late as September. It is a small fish, 
rarely exceeding ten inches in length or a pound 
in weight; but for its size it is game to the last, 
and puts up a fight to shame much larger fish. 
It is one of the best pan fish caught in the sea. 
In both these qualities it resembles the porgy, 
though as a fighter it is much superior. It as- 
cends small streams in rather blackish water, and 
is a common associate with the white perch. 
110 



Popular Bottom Sea Fish 

Immediately the Lafayettes are running, it is 
a signal for hundreds of men and boys to erowd 

the North River ])iers so thick that 
Popularity • .u • i-..i i 

on some occasions there is little el- 
bow room for comfort, and when these fish come in 
with the new flood tide in large numbers, catches 
of a hundred or more are not remarkable. They 
may also be caught in great numbers at Rock- 
away, on the Jersey shore. Cape May, Atlantic 
City, and as far do^vn as May port in Florida. The 
most successful baits are small pieces of clam or 
small-sized sand worms. At certain times they are 

erratic and will only take shrimp or the leg 

of a shedder crab, so that the angler will 
do well to supply himself with a variety of bait. 
All bottom feeders are good biters at night, and the 
Lafayette is no exception to this rule. They take 
the hook with a sly, tentative nibble, sometimes 
hardly felt by the angler; but on feeling the barb, 
away they go, darting off, back and forth, with 
remarkably bold breaks similar to those made by 
brook trout. 

The main point in catching Lafayettes is to have 

small, very sharp hooks attached to the 
HcK)ks 1^^^^^ about six inches from the sinker, 

which should })e heavy enough to hold on 
the bottom. In such places as the docks and piers 
the tide does not affect the water, but Avhen the 
tide runs heavy the sinker can be changed. The 
bait should be small, just enough to cover the barb. 
A large bait tempts them to nibble away small 
pieces without being caught. Hand lines are 
111 



Fish and Fishing 

more frequently used, but a short light rod is 
more handy and easier to handle, and lands the fish 
more quickly, either in fishing from a boat or dock. 
Some anglers use a heavy sinker and swing it over- 
head fifty feet away. After getting the line taut, 
wait for the bite of a large fish. As the fish swims 
near the bottom in great schools, three or four 
hooks can be used and more fish caught. From 

late in August till the end of September 
to^pfsh there is hardly a place where Lafayettes 

may not be found, and if the right bait 
is given them, good sport, and what is more, a 
good mess can be caught. 

PORGY 

This is another plentiful and common sea fish 
known by many names. In New England it is 
generally called scup, while about New York it 
is paugy or porgy, both being abbreviated from 
the Narragansett Indian name, scuppaug. On 
the Virginia coast it is called the "fair maid." 
The porgy is found along our coast at all seasons 
of the year, but it is more numerous in June and 
July. The first run takes place about the begin- 
ning of May, and consists of large breeding fish, 
weighing from two to four pounds and measur- 
ing up to eighteen inches in length. On first 
coming near the shores they do not 
take the hook readily, being too much 
occupied in spawning, and two weeks elapse 
before they can be caught on the hook. They 
112 



< 



Popular Bottom Sea Fish 

present themselves in schools of immense extent, 
numbering many millions, moving very slowly at 
about the rate of three miles an hour. The porgy 
is mostly a bottom fish and depends very much on 
mollusks and shell-fish for subsistence, its 
especial food being small crabs, shell-fish, 
shrimps, and small minnows, but for bait the 
clam is by far the best; they also like the claws 
and legs of shedder crabs. Each leg when split 
open will make two or three baits just the right 
size for this fish. They will also go for small 
sand worms and blood worms when they will not 
touch other bait. They are gamy; if fine tackle 
is used their play is similar to that of the fresh- 
water perch. Sometimes the largei' fish just nib- 
ble and the angler will hardly feel a bite — yet the 
hook will be stripped clean. For that reason 
small hooks are much the best Nos. 5 
to 7 are the sizes. Large-sized hooks 
are only used when big fish are running. The 
sinker should be heavy to keep the bait in one 
place. Place the first hook six inches above the 
sinker, the second hook another six above, and 
it may be of larger size than the lower hook. 
The porgy has a large head and hard mouth; 
so that when even a touch is felt on the line, give 
a sharp, quick strike to firmly embed the hook. 

For tackle use a light spring rod, though a 
reel is convenient to give a longer line at varying 
depths. Use a very fine line and small but extra 
sharp hooks. 

From the first of August to the last of October 
113 



Fish and Fishing 

many anglers enjoy catching this gamy Httle fish; 
outside the sport of landing them, they are much 

coveted as a pan fish. In flavor the 
to^pfsh P^^gy ^^ surpassed by few other fish on 

the coast, although its superabundance 
causes it to be under- valued ; the smaller ones 
especially are sweet and nutritious. 

SMELTS 

There are about a dozen species of this family 
which inhabit the cold and temperate Northern 
seas, but they are most plentiful along the coast 
of New England and the Middle States. The 
Eastern smelt grows occasionally to the length of 
a foot, but the average is about seven inches. 
They appear to associate in vast schools, some- 
what according to size, each school being the 
spawn of a single fish. 

The smelt remains about the coast, in the bays, 

throughout the year, save when it ascends fresh- 

„ , .^ water streams to breed. As soon as the 

Habits . . - .111 

ice IS out, smelts appear m the brooks, 

at first in small numbers, and the run continues 

till the middle of May. They ascend usually at 

night or on dark days. They will not bite during 

the spawning season. From the latter part of 

August to late December smelts will bite with 

avidity, and the best time is at flood tide, though 

some will bite at ebb tide, and many anglers 

claim that more and larger fish are caught at 

night, especially on dark nights. 

114 



Popular Bottom Sea Fish 

The best baits arc these, in the order named: 

shrimps, blood worms, common garden worms, and 

small minnows. Their favorite bait is shrimp, 

which should be placed on the hook, tail 

first, the point of the hook coming out at the head. 

Minnows should be hooked through the lips, 
from underneath, with the hook coming out at 
the top of the nose. The rod should be no longer 
than eight feet; no reel is required, the 
line being tied at the tip, and the fish 
lifted right into the boat. Use a six-foot gut 
leader of medium thickness and attach to it four 
hooks, so that the end one will hang one foot from 
the bottom, the other three hooks being about 
one foot apart. The hooks should be small and 
the points sharp. A sinker tied to the end should 
be heavy enough to hold on the bottom, what- 
ever tide runs, so that the hooks will float well 
away from the line. 

At times they bite with such rapidity that they 
can be pulled into the boat as fast as the bait is 
put on. They are a swift-moving fish, and when 
once located a good catch is always the result. 

If smelts are cooked within a short time after 
being caught they are most delicious eating; the 
larger fish have an oily taste, not so agreeable as 
the small fish. 

COD AND TOMCOD 

This well-known and prolific fish is not esteemed 
by anglers for its gamy qualities but solely for 
115 



Fish and Fishing 

its value as a table food. It grows to a consider- 
able size, and is usually found in schools in great 
numbers and is readily captured. It is a deep- 
water fish, caught mostly in the open sea, in from 
eight to forty fathoms of water, from the fishing- 
bank boats and sailing vessels. At night, dur- 
ing the summer months, they sometimes run in 
close toward the shore, when they may be caught 
off the long piers at Coney Island and other places. 

They move in schools, periodically to and from 
shore, according to the seasonable change in the 
. temperature. The codfish, as well 

as the tomcod, is a winter fish, and is 
caught at a season when so many other species 
that supply food are absent eith-er in the deeper 
water, or have moved Southward into warmer 
waters. The codfish begin to bite early in Octo- 
ber and so continue through the winter till the 
end of April. They feed upon all marine animals 
that are smaller than themselves, which are found 
in the same water with them; anything that is 
digestible is greedily taken by this vo- 
Habits^"^ racious fish. So greedy are they that 
they have been caught with their 
stomachs filled to the greatest possible extent, 
having fish in their mouths which they have been 
unable to swallow for want of room; and in this 
condition they were still biting at the hook. Is it 
any wonder that they rapidly grow to an enor- 
mous size, frequently over one hundred pounds ? 

In fishing for cod nothing is needed but stout 
lines and heavy sinkers, and special cod hooks, 
116 




POPULAR BOTTOM SEA FISH 



Popular Bottom Sea Fish 

which should be placed as near the sinker as 
possible. It is entirely a matter of choice with 
the angler how many hooks are used, though the 
limit seems to be three. The same may be also 
said regarding the choice of bait used — 
clams, crabs, worms or killies — it is all 
the same to this ravenous fish, who after taking 
it, makes no resistance whatever. The ease of 
its capture is only limited to its weight. If the 
cod is cooked within a few hours of its capture, 
the flesh is much harder and tastes sweeter than 
that of fish purchased in the market that have 
probably been caught three or four days. 

The tomcod, in form, is a miniature of the 
codfish, rarely exceeding twelve inches in length. 
In some places it is called the frost fishj owing to 
the fact that it becomes more abundant in the early 
part of the winter. Angling for them begins in 
September, and the North River piers are lined 
with people who enjoy catching this dainty little 
fish. They are bold biters, playing fairly well 
when hooked. To get the best play and sport, 

use a short, springy rod, five to seven 

feet long, a light line and small reel 
with a light, three-foot leader, to which may be 
tied three hooks. The hooks should be close to 
the sinker, which must be heavy enough to hold 

on the bottom. Sand worms are by far 
Foun*d *^^ ^^^^ '^^^*' though shrimps or clams 

may be used. The tomcod can al- 
ways be found near piers and bridges, in the 
rivers and inlets, during the winter months. As a 
117 



Fish and Fishing 

food fish, they are esteemed in many localities as 
a great delicacy. They are not caught in vast 
numbers like the porgy, but they are a favorite 
with most anglers because they resist capture a 
great deal more than their giant relative and 
namesake. 




Red Snapper 



118 



CHAPTER V 

Where to Get Them 
GENERAL DISTRIBUTION— SALMON 

Nearly all fresh-water game fish are abundant 
in the cold or temperate regions, salmon and 
trout being more plentiful in waters chilled by 
winter's cold and snow. Bass, especially the 
large-mouthed, will thrive in warmer climates, 
where the waters are never frozen. Some species 
of trout and charr inhabit waters of compara- 
tively warm regions, as in lower California, but, 
the rivers are cooled by snow water from the 
high mountainous sections whence the rivers flow. 

Both the mascalonge and pike flourish and at- 
tain a larger size in the colder waters of the 
North, though the pickerel will exist in waters 
. of a much higher temperature; so 

that the best game fishing of inland 
waters may be placed in about the latitude of 
lower New York, thence Northward to near the 
arctic circle. 

To get good fishing for the true Atlantic Salmon 
the angler now must needs go to the British pos- 
sessions in North America. Only in a few scat- 
119 



Fish and Fishing 

tered localities isolated specimens are, at times, 
caught, and those are a survival of artificial 
planting in the vain hope of a return to the once 
plentiful supply of by-gone years. 

While Maine provides unequalled trout, togue, 
and landlocked salmon of remarkable size and 
abundance, its large rivers, like the Kennebec, 
. have been entirely robbed of this noble 

fish by means of dams and other ob- 
structions. The real, true, game fishing for 
salmon with a fly is in the Province of New 
Brunswick; and the most famous rivers on the 
northeastern coast are the Restigouche 
Brunswick (^^^stly private water), the Meta- 
pedia, Upsalquitch, Patapedia, and 
Kidgwick. Parts of these rivers are free to all 
comers, but the best pools are reserved either by 
clubs or private parties. The rivers on the north 
of the Bay of Chaleur are the Grand Bonaventure, 
Grand Cascapedia, Grand Romaine, and the 
St. Anne des Monts, in the Province of Quebec. 
On the St. Lawrence are the Godbout, the Moisie 
and the Mingan rivers, with a number of fair-sized 
fish in smaller streams nearer to the city of Quebec. 

In Nova Scotia there are a number of small 

salmon streams with fairly good fishing, and 

there, perhaps, is the most desirable 
Nova Scotia , ^ , ., , i 

place to go, unless the angler has 

unlimited time at his disposal and a deep pocket 

well filled. 

Nearly all the rivers in the Province of Quebec 

and other places, comparatively easy of access, 

120 



Where to Get Them 

have been leased to wealthy clubs or individuals, 
who expend large sums in protecting their waters. 
The Godbout, I believe, is leased from 
mouth to source for exclusive fishing by 
members. There are many other rivers where 
the best fishing and pools are located which 
are strictly closed except to the lessees. 

Fly fishing for salmon is the most difficult to 
get of any for fresh-water game fish. Many of 
the fish that are caught and reported as salmon 
are nothing but togue, or trout, or salmon trout 
that inhabit inland waters. The Atlantic salmon 
is never caught in lakes; it is only caught in the 
upper parts of rivers, which it enters for one ob- 
ject, that is to spawn, and then it returns to the 
sea. 

LANDLOCKED SALMON 

The landlocked salmon is found in many 

waters of northern Maine, but it is caught mostly 

in deep water, by trolling or still fishing, and very 

rarely on the fly, but withal, it gives excellent 

sport, and grows to a much larger size than the 

famous Saguenay salmon. Splendid fishing for 

„ . landlocked salmon is to be had in the 
Maine i i i , 

numerous large lakes, the most w^ell 

known among them being the Moosehead Lake, 
perhaps the finest fishing ground in North Amer- 
ica. Immense catches are made every season by a 
large army of anglers, not only of landlocked 
salmon, but of trout, and togue of unusual size. 
Other sections where the salmon is abundant, 
121 



Fish and Fishing 

are Lakes Sebec, Schoodic, Onawa, Squa Pan, 
and Square Lake. Salmon are also taken in fair 
quantities from some of the rivers, notably the 
Aroostook River; at Caribou and Fort Fairfield, 
specimens weighing up to twenty pounds being 
not uncommon. 

The well-known and world-famous leaping 
landlocked salmon, which is found in Lake St. 
John, and its many tributaries, for its size, may 
be said to be the gamiest fish that swims. The 
centre of its abundance is at the Grande De- 
charge of Lake St. John, and in the differ- 
S^ John ^^^ large rivers flowing in, the Peribonca, 
Tschotogama, Mistassini and the Ashuap- 
mouchouan, as well as a number of other rivers 
of lesser size but larger names. 

The lake is reached in nine hours from Quebec, 
through a wild, beautiful country. On its shores 
is the hotel Roberval, where every possible comfort 
is provided for angling guests; guides and canoes 
are always ready, and the fishing is an experience 
all anglers delight to try. 

As in other famous fishing resorts, the enor- 
mous quantities caught every season seem to have 
little effect on their abundance. Twenty fish to 
each person is the day's limit; the limit is often 
reached, if the angler is no duffer. All fishing is 
done in furious, rapid water, and only the fly is 
used to catch them; their play, as well as leaping 
traits are marvellous for so small a fish, the average 
being only three pounds, though some are caught 
up to seven. So far as is known, this species is 
122 



Where to Get Them 

confined to northern Maine and the Province of 
Quebec ; a few isolated specimens may be taken in 
other locaHties, but not enough to be called good 
fishing, compared to that here described. 

It is well known that the Pacific salmon will not 
take the fly, but magnificent fishing may be had 

in the salt water of Monterey, Santa 
Salomon C^"^' ^^"^ Carmel Bays. The method is 

to troll in thirty feet of water with 
smelt bait and a spoon. 

MASCALONGE, PIKE 

The range of mascalonge fishing is limited to 
the country around the Great Lakes and to 
parts of Canada. Many so-called recorded capt- 
ures of mascalonge are in reality pike. The 
greatest abundance is in the lakes and rivers of 
Wisconsin, parts of Michigan, Illinois, and Ohio. 
In the Eastern States it is rare. Beginning with 
. Wisconsin, they are in the following 
waters: in the Chippewa River and 
various connecting lakes, in Cedar, Rice, and Long 
lakes, in the Rivers Wisconsin and Spirit; the 
River Flambeau and Lakes Clear, Somo, Otter, 
and Marie, at Birchwood and vicinity, in Lakes 
Red Cedar and Birch; near Edgewater, Lake 
Chelae, at Reserve, Lake Grindstone; near Rhine- 
lander in Lakes Sugar Camp, Pine, Peli- 
can, and Crescent; near Luck, in Lakes 
Butternut and Half-moon; at Hobson in Lakes 
Twin, Clear, Stone, and Stella; at Apollonia, in 
123 



Fish and Fishing 

Lakes Chain, Island, and Bruce, with numerous 
tributaries and smaUer waters. In Canada, es- 
pecially in rivers and lakes tributary to Lakes Su- 
perior and Huron, and in many parts of Ontario 
the mascalonge is fairly plentiful. 

In the upper Ohio River and some of its larger 
tributaries it may be caught in the deep pools by 
still fishing. In Lakes Michigan, Erie, Huron, and 
Ontario they have been taken at times, but not in 
large numbers, though large in size. They are 
taken in Scioto and Mahoning rivers, in Ohio, 
f I I. ^^^ i^ Conneaut Lake, Pa., in Lake 
Pepin, Wis. and Chautauqua Lake, 
N. Y., the latter water being the home of the un- 
spotted mascalonge, an excellent game fish, to my 
mind superior to the spotted variety* of the lakes. 

In the Niagara River and the St. Lawrence, 
about the Thousand Islands, they may be said to 
be fairly plentiful, numerous catches having been 
made last season of fine large fish. There are 
no special places better than others, all the shal- 
lower waters near the shore of the Islands will 
give good results. This fish has 
also been taken in some of the 
lakes and rivers of Kentucky and Tennessee, 
sometimes of a good size. 

The pike has a much wider range than the 
mascalonge and it is also more plentiful. It is 
found, along with the pike perch, in a great many 
of the larger lakes in Canada, and grows up to 
thirty or forty pounds weight, numerous speci- 
mens of that size having been taken in the Sague- 
124 



Where to Get Them 

nay at Lake St. John, just at the outlet, near the 
Island House. 

Large in size and abundant in number are 
those caught in Georgian Bay, in the St. Law- 
rence, and Lake St. George, the latter being the 

most famous. From Lake Champlain 
Waters ^^^^ "^^^ ^^ found, down through the 

lakes in New York, New Jersey, Penn- 
sylvania, to Kentucky and Tennessee. Michigan, 
Minnesota, Montana, all the States of the Middle 
West, have pike waters a-plenty. 

BASS 

The black bass, both large and small mouth, is 
at the present day so widely distributed that there 
are few sections in the United States where they 
are not found. This happy condition is due to 
the real worth of the fish as a gamy quarry, so that 
many States and private individuals have placed 
them in waters suited to their requirements. 

Bass were introduced into the State of Maine 

by the commissioners in 1869. In New York 

State the commissioners planted bass in seventy 

lakes, ponds, and rivers in 187L 

Introduction Private citizens of Pennsylvania 

in INew 

Waters introduced small-mouth bass into 

the Susquehanna, Potomac, and 

Delaware rivers in 1878; New Hampshire, in 

1864, Connecticut in 1852, Massachusetts in 1850. 

The black bass is indigenous in the waters of 

northern Wisconsin, and along the Appalach- 

125 



Fish and Fishing 

ian chain to the Carohnas and northern Geor- 
gia. They were also plentiful in the Great Lake 
waters and Mississippi valley, Ohio, 
Foifnd^"^ Illinois, and Missouri River basins, 
the large-mouth being common along 
the Florida peninsula. 

On the north-eastern coast some of the finest 
bass fishing to be enjoyed is at Belgrade lakes in 
Maine, notwithstanding the fact that a large 
number of anglers go there every season to try 
their luck, with never-ending success. Belgrade 
is composed of a number of lakes connected by 
various streams teeming with fish food highly 
suited to the bass; consequently they are big, 
plentiful, and gamy, rising freely to the 
fly from early June till August. Other 
good bass localities in northern Maine are Sc- 
hools Lake and its tributaries, Schoodic Lake, the 
Piscataquis River, with many ponds and lakes 
near by. The Sebec Lake, which is connected by 
various streams, affords most excellent fishing. 
So widely have the bass been planted and so rapid 
their growth that it is impossible to give the 
names of the large number of lakes and streams, 
in that vast region. 

Any bass fisherman who has not been to the St. 

Lawrence among the Thousand Islands, will find 

it well worth a visit, making his head- 

Is/ands""* quarters at Clayton, N. Y., where 

guides of real worth, and boats, roomy 

and comfortable, may be hired. There is no special 

place; it is all good fishing along the rocky shores 

126 




127 



Fish and Fishing 

of nearly all the Islands. Fish are plentiful, of 
good size, and gamy fighters. Mention may be 
made of Round Island, Fisher's Landing, and 
smaller island rocks which furnish glorious sport. 
Skipping into- Canada, and getting on the 
Canadian Pacific Railroad in Ontario, are the 
beautiful Rideau lakes, large, island-dotted bodies 
of crystal water, by many people considered the 
best bass waters on the North American 
Continent. A hundred miles from To- 
ronto is Havelock, with very fine bass fishing in 
the River Trent, notably between Trent Bridge 
and Healy Falls, especially near the latter. 

In central Ontario, but eight hours from Buf- 
falo, are the ten Kawartha lakes, all literally 
swarming with gamy bass that, early in the 
season, take the fly. 

Then there is the famous Gatineau River, with 
many tributaries and lakes dotting its winding 
course directly through the Laurentian Moun- 
tains; also the Chats Rapids, on the Ottawa 
. River, give splendid bass fishing. All 
these waters in Canada, while famed for 
bass, also afford magnificent mascalonge, as well 
as trout, very often in the same waters. In the 
native home of the bass, in the Middle 
West ^ Western States of Wisconsin, Michigan, 
Illinois, Ohio, and Kentucky, the popu- 
larity of that fish is supreme. 

In northern New York bass are abundant in 
Lake Champlain, especially near St. Albans. 
Bass anglers will find Samson's an ideal place 
128 




POPULAR FRESH-WATER GAME FISH 



Where to Get Them 

to stay, not only for bass, but large pike. Side 
trips can be made to Raquette, Forked, White, 
Fourth, Bisby, and Sucker lakes; 
Champlain ^^^^ ^^ ^^^ Black and Moon rivers. 
In western New York by far the 
best bass fishing is in Chautauqua Lake, where 
the fish are large, pugnacious fighters, and I 
consider it as good as the St. Law- 
Lake rence as a place to enjoy sport, be- 
cause it also has the mascalonge. 
Bemus Point is a famous place for head-quarters. 
Within 150 miles of New York the best bass 
fishing is in the Delaware River, at East Branch, 
Deposit, Fish Eddy, Cook's Falls, and 
some distance along the Beaverkill. 
Both branches of the Delaware at this point are 
swarming with bass, above and below the junc- 
tion, right down to Port Jervis. There are count- 
less lakes and ponds, with their tributaries well 
stocked with bass, in the counties of Delaware, 
Sullivan, and Broome, in New York, as well as 
the counties of Wayne, Pike, and Susquehanna in 
Pennsylvania. 

In the Schuylkill River there are many stretches 
of good bass water, particularly that 
from Royer's Ford to Yankee Dam, a 
distance of three miles, and about thirty miles 
from Philadelphia. In a like manner the Sus- 
quehanna River from Bino^hamton, 
Susquehanna * , . , i i i 

on the north branch, and the 

Chemung River which joins it just below Athens, 

and nearly all the Susquehanna's many tributa- 

129 



Fish and Fishing 

ries, running down through the mountains to 
Harrisburg and below, furnish the bass fisher- 
man with thousands of places to fill his creel. 

The State of Pennsylvania is one of the most 
fortunate States in the Union, having a large num- 
ber of bass and trout waters tributary to its two 
great rivers, which furnish ample sport to its 
hosts of fishermen. 

Within a distance of fifty miles roundabout 

New York City there are many bass waters; in 

New Jersey are Greenwood Lake, 

New York g^^j,^ ^ake, Hopatcong, Pompton, 

Ramapo and the Raritan River. 

In New York are Rockland Lake, Cromwell 
Lake, and Croton Dam; on Long Island are 
Lake Ronkonkoma and Peconic River; all these 
furnish rare good sport both on the fly and 
bait. Bass are plentiful in nearly all the Southern 
States. Florida stands first, both in quan- 
ita/J^^*^" tity and size of fish. From Jacksonville 
down to Miami there is a long chain 
of lakes, mostly connected by rivers, literally 
swarming with big fish, mostly of the large-mouth 
species, running up to fourteen pounds weight. 

But, as previously stated, the natural home of 
the bass is the Middle West, with Chicago as its 
centre. 

TROUT AND CHARRS 

Of all the fresh- water game fish, the trout have 
the largest number of admirers, and along with 
the black bass are the most abundant and widely 
130 



Where to Get Them 

distributed of any fish. For that reason it will 
be necessary to class the different species to- 
gether in two divisions — those caught in deep 
water (mostly by trolling) and those on the sur- 
face with the fly and worm. Surface fishing is 
more or less confined to brooks and small streams; 
deep fishing is often necessary in large rivers, and 
nearly always in lakes and ponds. 
and^'s^face ^^^^ angle/ must remember that 
mountain-brook fishing is not so 
good after the first month of the season, 
because, to a certain extent, many brooks 
dry up; and in shallow water few places are 
available in w^iich the fish can hide from the 
continuous assaults of worm and fly. Large trout, 
if they rise to a fly at all in big lakes do so only 
early, or very late in the season; and deep-water 
flshing is best at the end of spring and beginning 
of summer, when all traces of ice and snow water 
have disappeared. 

In the large lakes, brook trout, or fontinalisy 
grow big and gross — up to ten pounds weight — if 
they feed on a flsh diet. Three pounds is a large 
weight for surface-feeding fish in shallow waters, 
but their game qualities make up what they lack 
in weight. There are waters wherein the brown, 
rainbow, and even brook trout will live with the 
bass, but never with pike and mascalonge. 

It is safe to say that the State of Maine stands 
easily first, as the most productive fishing ground 
for trout in the United States, both for size, quan- 
tity, and variety of species. 
131 



Fish and Fishing 

Its innumerable lakes and rivers, with countless 
tributaries, teem with fish, notwithstanding the 
. continuous drain on the supply made every 
season by an army of fishermen from all 
parts of the country. I shall, therefore, only 
mention its larger fishing places, the smaller 
brook fishing (though good) being of secondary 
consideration. In this vast region of 15,000 
square miles of forest-covered land, with running 
streams that are tributaries and often connect its 
many large lakes, the angler will find plenty of 
sport, wherever he chooses to go. 

In the waters of the Piscataquis and Hunt 
Brook, and in Schoodic Lake there will be found 
big trout and togue; near Milo Junction is Pleas- 
ant River with its many branches, all well stocked 
with trout of fair size; in Roaring Brook, Houston 
Pond, Hounston Brook, Mountain Pond, Lyford, 
West Branch, Greenwood, Cedar, Spruce, Chair- 
back and B ponds, and the upper waters of Pleas- 
ant River itself, is good fishing worthy 
of a visit. From there a ride by rail to 
Katahdin Iron Works reaches another good lo- 
cality for big trout. 

The Rangeley Lakes are widely known for 
their numerous and large trout and togue. Sebec 
Lake, a tributary to the Piscataquis River, is sur- 
rounded by good fishing in Goose Pond, Mill 
Brook, Grape Pond, Long, Second, 
Third, Fourth, Burden, and Benson 
ponds. The railway to Monson, will place the 
angler near Hebron and many other ponds. Near 
132 



Where to Get Them 

Shirley are the Gove and Gravel brooks, Specta- 
cle, Ordway, Indian, Trout, Notch, Round, and 
Moxie ponds, all full of good trout, not often 
fished for. 

The famous Moosehead Lake is forty miles 
long by eighteen broad, a splendid expanse of 
water, and upon its shores stands Mt. Kineo 
House, whose guests take many big trout up to 

. seven pounds weight. A big togue 
Moosehead .,..[, ^ . . ^ / 

or thirty-two pounds is recorded as 

having been taken from this water last season. 
Other good fishing in this vicinity is the Moose 
River, Brassau Lake, with many tributary streams 
and ponds. On the west branch of 
the Penobscot River may be found 
numberless ponds, lakes, and streams containing 
fine, large trout and togue. 

Below Caribou, the Aroostook River receives 
the waters of the Madawaska and its tributaries, 
the best being the Cain, Greenlaw, Brandy, Wol- 
verton. Halfway, Black, Johnson, Bearsley, Arm- 
strong, and McKlusky brooks, with many ponds 
and good-sized lakes as their source, all full of 
trout, some large in size. Near Ask- 
land, on the Aroostook River, is the 
mouth of the Big Machias River, which has on 
both sides many tributaries. Other large and im- 
portant fishing sections, providing excellent sport, 
are the Fish River, the Allagash, and St. John, 
each with many tributaries and their lakes and 
ponds, all famous for fine trout fishing. 

New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are easily 
133 



Fish and Fishing 

reached from Boston and New York by rail or by 
water, and both provinces are honey-combed 
with large and small rivers, lakes and ponds, con- 
taining various species of salmon and trout. 
Head-quarters in New Brunswick can be made 
either at St. John, St. Andrews, St. 
Brunswick Stephen, or at Fredericton, for the 
following rivers: the Nashwaak, Tay, 
Miramichi, Cains, and the Clearwater, the 
Rivers Tobique, Forks, and Campbell. From 
head-quarters at Edmundton there are many 
rivers from which to make a choice, the upper 
St. John, Madawaska, and Green rivers. 

A short trip from St. John, N. B., to Digby, 
Nova Scotia, finds the angler in the vicinity of 
plenty of good trout and salmon streams, small in 
comparison to those of Maine and New 
Scoda Brunswick, but the fishing is in the midst 
of beautiful pastoral scenery, kindly peo- 
ple, and most pleasant associations. The best 
waters are the Tusket lakes. Bras d'Or, and 
many small streams all abounding in trout. 

On the north side of the St . Lawrence from the 

mouth of the solemn Saguenay, to the City of 

Quebec, are many splendid streams from lakes in 

the interior that are full of the jontinalis and sea 

trout, in particular those from Lake Edward and 

Jacques Cartier, all of which can be easily 

reached from Quebec City. In western 

Ontario may be found grand trout fishing in 

Lake Nipigon, and near the outlet of Georgian 

Bay is the famous Lake Nipissing. In Canada, as 

134 



Where to Get Them 

in Maine, it is only possible to mention some of the 
most prominent trout sections. It will he noticed 
. that in Canada, as well as in New York, the 
fish called lake trout is the same species 
as that called togue, in Maine. During the last 
three or four years trout fishing in the Adirondack 
region has vastly improved, so that the future 
looks exceedingly bright, compared to ten years 
ago when trout were few and far between, and 
anglers were forced to go elsewhere for sport. 
This happy change has come about, by reason 
of ample stocking of the waters, not 
only by the State, but by wealthy 
private individuals and clubs. There are no less 
than thirty-eight lakes and ponds, as well as nine- 
teen streams, in which the red-throat trout, brook, 
brown, lake, and rainbow are, in a measure, 
fairly plentiful, because they have been stocked 
every season under the auspices of the Saranac 
Lake Fish and Game Club. 

This last season two lake trout were taken 
from Owl and Pine ponds, weighing twenty-six 
and twenty-seven pounds, both caught on small 
Archer spinners, with minnow, in deep water. 

Many of the large lakes in western central 

New York are well stocked with trout; chief 

among them is Lake Keuka, which contains 

big specimens of rainbow, lake, and 

New "^ York ^^^'^ok trout. They are caught by 

trolling with spoons, having three 

branch leaders from the main line placed at 

various depths. It is a common occurrence for 

135 



Fish and Fishing 

anglers to get three trout on one rig. Catches 
of twelve to fifteen lake trout from four to six 
pounds are frequently made, even by amateurs. 
Specimens have been caught up to twenty pounds. 
X I 1. The lake trout is a native of the 
Great Lakes, and is found in its 
largest and best condition in Lakes Huron, Mich- 
igan, and Superior. In those lakes, specimens 
weighing fifty pounds are not uncommon, one 
having been recorded of the enormous weight of 
ninety pounds and six feet in length. 

This covers, incompletely, the best deep-water 
fishing for trout. There are, no doubt, isolated 
sections in many States where good trout may be 
caught. 

For anglers residing in the Eastern States, the 
best fishing I know for speckled, brown, and rain- 
bow trout, in brooks and small rivers, caught on 
the fly and with the worm, is in the mountainous 
section of Monroe, Pike, and Wayne counties of 
Pennsylvania and of Delaware, Sullivan and 
Ulster co.unties in New York ; also in parts of west- 
ern New Jersey. The method of fishing in this 
section is mainly by wading down the rippling 
brooks, or in the middle of rivers, not over two 
Monroe, Pike, ^^^^ deep, under the most ideal 
and Wayne and favorable conditions — untram- 
counties melled, free to all, no guides or 

boats or long wearisome journeys. I have many 
times in numerous places creeled twenty-five nice 
ten-inch trout. 

In Monroe County, the best locations are the 
13G 



Where to Get Them 

brooks near Canadansis, Tannersville, Cresco, 
and Buslikill; among them are the Broadhead, 
Buckhill, Middle Branch, Levis Branch, Goose 
Pond Run, Spruce Cabin Run, Stony Run, and 
Mill Creek. Most of these are within easy reach 
of Spruce Cabin Inn, a pleasant place for anglers, 
where they will find agreeable company and good 
fish. 

In Pike County are Shohola Brook, Panther 
Brook, Parker's Glen Brook; other trouting 
streams are Pocona Creek, Sandy Spring Creek, 
Wolf Swamp Brook, Still-water, Deep Hollow, 
Tunkhannock, Trout Creek, Tobyhanna Creek. 
Near Clifton is the Lehigh River, Belle Meadow, 
Pond Creek, Ash Creek, and Sheep Brook. 

Right on the borders, where Sullivan County 
joins Wayne, are Narrowsburg, Cochecton, and 
Callicoon. The various streams are Ten-Mile 
River, Boyd's Mills Brook, Callicoon Creek, Hol- 
lister Creek, all first-rate, early-season trout wa- 
ters, with some really good-sized fish. A few miles 
into Sullivan County are the Beaverkill, Willowe- 
mock, Mongaup, Neversink, Little Neversink, 
and their smaller brook tributaries. From Lew 
Beach to the village of Beaverkill, on 
Sullivan, * to Rockland and Cook's Falls, is 

and Ulster good fly fishing for speckled, brown, 

counties o ./ o r ' ^ 

and rainbows; from Willowemock 

Village to De Bruce, where the late Wm. C. 

Harris and I have landed many a good trout, 

staying at the comfortable Hearthstone Inn ; thence 

to Parkston, Parksville, Livingston Manor, to 

137 



Fish and Fishing 

Roscoe, where at the Roscoe House is the best 
angler in the three counties. 

The Mongaup at De Bruce is a fine, small, early 
stream. The little Beaverkill, a mile or two above 
Parks ville Station, is a good small stream. A 
great many of the smaller brooks run into these 
larger streams, affording excellent early-season 
fishing. The upper Neversink is good, but the 
lower part near the O. & W. R. R. is not so good 
as it will be in a few seasons ; it is now being well 
stocked. It was formerly one of the best native 
trout streams in the county, wide with many deep 
pools. 

In the central Catskills, numberless small 
brooks yield good fishing. Esopus Creek and 
others are well stocked. Crossing the Hudson 
into the Berkshires and thence into 
Connecticut, some distance back from 
the coast, there are many streams and brooks well 
stocked with trout, affording really good fishing. 

In the mountain streams of North Carolina and 
Virginia, the brook trout is found at home, and 
. . may be caught in plenty during the early 
months of the season. Stocking has been 
going on for some years; though not very many 
visit that locality. The mountains of California 
P ,.» . are full of fine trout streams; the beau- 
tiful Yosemite with its golden, as well 
as rainbow trout, affords splendid fishing. Lake 
Tahoe has trout of that name. In Colorado there 
are fine trout, big fish, and plenty of them; per- 
haps the best are in the Platte Canon, only a 
138 



Where to Get Them 

few hours' drive from Denver. All along the 
canon good accommodation is found, notably at 
River View, Buffalo Park, Pine Grove, 
Altruria, and Cassells; at all these places 
the stream is close at hand. The water is ideal for 
casting the fly, rapid, plenty of falls and pools, 
amidst the most beautiful scenery and a delight- 
ful climate. 

Long Island has a few small trout streams 
that are excellent fishing, but the best are re- 
served by wealthy clubs; well stocked, but well 

, . J guarded. Those left open to the 
Long Island ° , ,. ,1,^^111 

public are absolutely nshed dry the 

first week in the season, so that as a fishing ground 
for the public at large it counts for nothing 
whatever. 

Quite a number of the railroads are now, I am 
pleased to see, taking active interest in the fishing 
along their lines; some, more enterprising, main- 
tain hatcheries and do stocking of their waters. 

POPULAR SALT-WATER FISH 

Many anglers want to know the best places to 
go; though it is impossible to mention all places 
in Canada and the United States, in the main, 
the best places are here given for salt-water fish. 

For big deep-sea game fishes by far the best 
locality probably anywhere is in the neighl^orhood 
of Avalon, Santa Catalina, and adjacent islands 
on the California coast. There they are not 
only plentiful, but grow to a size scarcely to 
139 



Fish and Fishing 

be believed. The Eastern weakfish, known on 
the Pacific coast as the white sea-bass, grows 
to a weight of fifty pounds and up- 
Pacific coast w^^^' it is g^"^y t« ^ degree. But 
most famous are the tuna, yellow 
tail, barracuda, albacore, and giant black sea-bass, 
the latter reaching 400 pounds bulk. These and 
many other minor fish may be taken from April 
to December in Avalon Bay down the coast to San 
Diego. Further South, all along the Gulf coast 
of Texas, (leaving out Mexico) from Brownsville 

to Galveston, running along past 
and Fknida Louisiana to the Western peninsula 

of Florida, there are scores of an- 
gling resorts for tarpon, jewfish, barracuda, group- 
ers, sword-fish, and sharks. From the Florida 
Keys, North along the eastern coast up to Jack- 
sonville are the main fishing grounds for big 
game. In the vicinity of the tarpon grounds, 
palatial hotels, with every comfort, line the shore, 
easily reached by railways, opened up within the 
last few years. The most famous tarpon fishing 
in Florida and Texas is at Indian River, Jupiter 
Inlet, Miami, Bahia Honda, Fort Myres, Pine 
Island, and Boca Grande. On the Texas coast the 
chief places are Aransas Pass, where the tarpon 
club is situated. Corpus Christi, Captiva, Marco, 
Naples, and other places. 

From Jacksonville, Savannah, and Charleston 

to Norfolk, Va., at the proper season, there may 

be caught blue-fish, black-fish, hogfish, sea-bass, 

sheepshead, channel bass, kingfish, bonito, pom- 

140 




fev. 









^ 



tioU 






llX"^ 






< 
O CD 



X 



z 

p < 

a. 2 




^O 0<J<1 <3 ^ 



141 



Fish and Fishing 

pano, and many others. From Norfolk to New 
York, especially along the Delaware and Jersey 
coast, is perhaps the best surf fishing 
^^asi^*^^^^ on the Eastern coast. Every species of 
salt-water game fish is taken, when in 
season, and in some places fishing continues right 
through the winter. The Jersey coast is particu- 
larly good for surf casting for blue-fish, striped 
bass, channel bass and weakfish: from Cape 
May, Atlantic City, Beachhaven, Barnegat, Bel- 
mar, Deal Beach, Long Branch, Seabright, 
Atlantic Highlands, Sandy Hook, Raritan Bay, 
and Perth Amboy. All around Staten Island, par- 
ticularly the south-eastern shore, it is at all times 
literally swarming with fish, including striped 
bass, blue-fish, weakfish, fluke, kingfish, black- 
fish and sea-bass. During the summer months 
excellent fishing is to be had off the docks lining 
both sides of the City of New York — tomcod, eels, 
and Lafayette from the Battery to Yonkers; striped 
bass, from One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Street 
to Mount St. Vincent; striped bass, tomcod, La- 
fayette, at Hastings, Irvington, Ossining, Dobbs' 

Ferry, and Tarry town. From Hell Gate 
Ri"vlr" t^ Bridgeport, New Haven, on to Block 

Island and Newport, every available space 
of coast line has good fishing for striped bass, blue- 
fish, weakfish, plaice, flounders, porgies, black-fish, 
eels, and Lafayette. From Newport to Buzzards 
Bay, Vineyard Sound, Nantucket Sound, and Cape 
Cod, are blue-fish, codfish, porgies, and smelts. 
For variety as well as quantity, the south shore 
142 



Where to Get Them 

of Long Island furnishes the best fishing on the 
eastern coast. From the httle juicy porgy up to 
a 250-pound tuna, or horse-mackerel, a 450-pound 
shark, or a 90-foot whale. Long Island provides 
at some part of the season every 
sea-fish that runs along the eastern 
shores. It is asserted that over thirty thousand 
anglers fish this strip of shore during the summer 
months ; in addition comfortable sea-going steam- 
boats carry a crowd of deep-sea anglers from New 
York City every day to the various wrecks that 
dot the coast. From Sea Gate to Montauk Point, 
there are hundreds of bays and inlets to choose 
from; a few of the best are as follows : Bath Beach, 
Coney Island (on Iron Steamboat, Dreamland, 
Steeplechase piers). Coney Island Bell-buoy, Coney 
Island Creek, Fort Hamilton, Fort Lafayette, 
Gravesend Bay, Rockaway Beach, Norton's 
Point, Plum Beach, Stone Pile, Ulmer Park. At 
Jamaica Bay is Barren Island, Big Channel, 
Block House Wreck, Break Water, Fishkill Chan- 
nel, Flatlands Bay, Irish Creek, Pumpkin Patch, 
Rockaway Point, and Rufile Bar. At the eastern 
end of Jamaica Bay is Beach Channel, Black Wall, 
Goose Creek, Hassock Creek, Hook Creek, Raunt, 
Silver Hole, Valentine's Point. On the south 
shore. Far Rockaway, Fire Island, and Great 
South Bay, the latter a large shallow bay, almost 
enclosed, full of fish and of great variety. Stations 
on the Long Island Railroad are near these 
various points — Hempstead Bay, Hewletts, Inner 
Beach, Long Beach, Woodsburg, and Wreck Lead. 
143 



Fish and Fishing 

On the north shore are numerous places. For 
fishing in the open sea are Black Warrior Wreck, 
Cholera Banks, Fishing Banks — this latter being 
very famous for large sea-bass, fluke, black-fish, 
cod, ling, and hake. Other places are Flynn's 
Knoll, Iberia Wreck, Romer Shoals, Old Orchard 
Shoals, and Oregon Wreck. 

At all the above-mentioned places ample facili- 
ties are provided for anglers, boats, guides, bait, 
and tackle, if needed ; all are within easy and con- 
venient reach of New York City. From the first 
of May to late October plenty of fish are caught. 
Within the last few years, motor boats have taken 
the place of sail boats, so that fishing is much 
more sure, and the return home less doubtful. 
Salt-water bait may be purchased at many of the 
tackle shops in New York and Brooklyn, though 
it is, perhaps, the best course to get the bait at the 
locality where the angler intends to fish. 



144 



CHAPTER VI 

How to Get Them 
SALMON 

WITH THE FLY 

There are two methods beside fly fishing for 
salmon that may be called legitimate, though not 
practised so much in this country as in Great 
Britain. They are spinning or trolling with min- 
nows or the prawn, and also still-fishing with 
worms, and the aristocratic angler 
knows too well that two other methods 
of taking salmon are practised more largely here 
than abroad, that is, netting and spearing. Thou- 
sands of fine salmon are by these means taken 
from the luring fly. 

There are, it is probable, no two reasonable 
anglers who will not differ regarding flies. My own 
experience is not wide, for the few fish I have killed, 
as it happens, were all landed on one fly, 
Different of different sizes, that is, the silver doc- 
of Flies tor ; yet the most famous master and ex- 
perienced salmon fisher, Major Tra- 
herne, mentions it not in his list of taking flies, but 
Mr. Dean Sage, and many others, place the silver 
145 



Fish and Fishing 

doctor next to Jock Scott. It is a remarkable fact 
that both these flies have been in constant use for 
over fifty years; since that time nothing has been 
tied to beat them, or equal them. 

The capriciousness of salmon, one of their few 
characteristics of which we are absolutely certain, 
makes it unsafe to lay down any but the most 
general propositions as to what colors or effects in 
flies are to be used under varying conditions ; there- 
fore I prefer to give Mr. Sage's list, because he was 
a salmon angler of wide and long experience in our 
own rivers, and it is to his kindness I owe my first 
experience in taking salmon. He says in part: 
"Perhaps bright or dark colors in strong, or high, 
or dark water, would be the Durham ranger, 
Popham, silver doctor, Jock Scott or Nicholson; 
for medium and clearing water, the butcher, 
Jock Scott, silver doctor, and black and brown 
fairies; for low water, brown fairy, Jock Scott, 
silver doctor. It will be observed that the Jock 
Scott, silver doctor, and fairies are included in 
the flies appropriate for all stages of water and 
varieties of weather; and although I have never 
done it myself, I think a man pro- 
FUes* ^*"*"^ vided with an ample stock, of dif- 
ferent sizes, of these three flies, 
could catch as many fish, in any river of this coun- 
try, as if he had the entire stock of any fly tier in 
the world to choose from." Further on he says, 
"In addition to the above, the Britannia, the 
Nepisiguit gray, the Durham ranger, the Nichol- 
son, the butcher, and the Beaufort moth, should 
146 



How to Get Them 

certainly furnish enough variety for the most fas- 
tidious angler of salmon.. It cannot be denied 
that there are occasions when salmon will take 
things they have never before seen, and which are 
as different from any of the creations of the fly 
tier as can be imagined. I took two on the Nepisi- 
guit, with a bunch of muskrat fur tied to a bare 
hook, and salmon have been taken in the Resti- 
gouche with a bunch of red squirrel's fur tied in 
the same way." 

It will be noticed that my favorite fly, the silver 
doctor, comes in all his lists, once even before 
Jock Scott. I have the same opinion of the silver 
doctor as a trout fly. I certainly would put it 
first on the list for any fish, at any time, in any 

place, but, it must be the right size. 
FhS^'*'^*'*^ In all kinds of fishing with the fly, 

we get most success on the whole 
by concentrating our attention upon a few pat- 
terns of proved merit, and persisting with them. 

WORKING AND CASTING THE FLY 

The art of fly casting for salmon bears no rela- 
tion to any other form of angling with a fly. If it 
is akin to anything it is to working a minnow, 

«« .. J rather than a fly, and the salmon anoler 
Method 

must get all the analogy with trout fish- 
ing out of his head. In casting, the object of the 
angler is to throw the fly above and beyond where 
he hopes the fish are lying, in such a manner that 
it may be brought by the stream, moving in a 
147 



Fish and Fishing 

lively and attractive way within sight of the fish, 
being gradually swept across to the anglers' own 
bank. To do this successfully, the angler must 
cast, not only across, but down stream; and the 
more down stream the cast can be made, the slower 

will be the pace at which the fly 
Down^ ^"^ crosses the river, the greater will be 

the chance of the salmon seeing it, 
the less will be the chance of it seeing the line, and 
the more easy it will be for the angler to keep in 
touch with the fly, during the whole time it is in 
the water. This is why it is so important to throw 
a long line in salmon fishing, even in a compara- 
tively narrow river. It is desirable not only to 
reach the whole of the likely water, but to cover it 
at a proper angle. If the cast is made directly 
across the stream, the line bags in the middle, and 
for the first half of the cast the fly has the ap- 
pearance of a dead thing being towed down stream 
by a visible cord, instead of something alive, being 
jerked by its own motion in the water. Two 
things especially should the angler bear in mind 
when actually casting and managing his fly: the 
first is that the salmon in fresh water has more 
curiosity than appetite, that he is not waiting for 
food, nor expecting it to come to him, as he lies in 
the water. The fly must rouse the attention of 
the fish and must do it attractively. Second, the 
fly should be of the right size. 

As the fly works round from the opposite bank 
toward your side, the rod should gradually follow 
it, and, if you please, you may slowly lower and 
148 



How to Get Them 

raise the point of the rod a few inches which will 
cause the feathers of the fly to open and shut, if 
much hue is not in the water. Many 
Jerk and experienced anglers say that thus to 
Fly work the fly is unnecessary, l)ut it is 

very generally done. Perhaps the best 
plan is to fish a cast first without working the fly, 
and then, if that fails, to work it. 

If there is very little stream, the angler must of 
course draw the fly, but in that case the water will 
probably be deep and the fly will have to be well 
sunk. In swift water, working the fly is not nec- 
essary, but in slow or dead water it should be 
worked quietly. Major Traherne says: "The 

proper way to fish a pool is to commence 
l^olf" at the head, and fish it foot by foot. If 

the fish will not come to the fly, the fly 
must go to the fish, even if a shot or two has to be 
pinched on to the line to take it there. In very 
clear, deep water, salmon may often be caught by 
sinking the fly almost to their noses, and then work- 
ing it slowly along with alternate sinks and draws, 
never bringing it to the surface. If the fish are shy, 
try various plans. Draw the fly slowly, then fast; 
work it slowly, fast, and not at all; 
fSi^ ^ ^'^^^ ^^' ^^^w it near the surface, in 
short, tempt the fish by all the means 
in your power. Salmon seem to care very little 
for the water over them being whipped. If a fish 
rises, and misses the fly, give him a short rest, 
about a quarter of a minute, rather longer in 
swift water, then where the stream is gentle; cast 
149 



Fish and Fishing 

again, a little above the place where he rose, and, 
if that fails, try a little lower down the stream. 
Then, if he still comes not, try a smaller jBy of the 
same pattern, followed by the various patterns, 
as a last resort; leave him and try again in the 
evening. Always be careful the fly does not swim 
on its back or side." 

In the larger rivers most of the fishing is done 
from a boat or canoe, which renders unnecessary 
the employment of switching, or the various 
underhand casts without a knowledge of which 
angling for salmon would be practically impossible 
in many British rivers. 

The overhand or ordinary cast is made by lift- 
ing the line out of the water to the end where the 
fly is, and throwing it out behind to its full length 
before casting it forward. This is the most im- 
portant part of casting, because 
Casting from j^ ^j^^^.^ j^ ^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^le time 
a Canoe n • p 

of the forward cast, the fly is fre- 
quently snapped off, and the line and fly alight in 
front in a tangled mass, far in direction and dis- 
tance from where they should. In raising the line 
from the water, a little jerk should be given, just as 
the fly leaves the surface, which makes it travel up 
and back much faster than it otherwise would, and 
prevents the line from hitting the ground or the 
water on the back cast. It is desirable that the 
straightened-out line behind should not fall to a 
lower level than the angler's head, and if kept 
higher than that it is better. The rod on the back 
cast, to accomplish this, should go as little as may 
150 



How to Get Them 

be beyond the perpendicular. The higher the fly on 

the back cast, if straight, the less force is required 

to send it forward, and the knack of 

Hne^Casting g^^^^^g ^^ i^^^ t^^* position or any 
other, whereby the fly is straightened 
out on the back cast, is in applying sufficient sud- 
den force as it leaves the water, where there is 
some resistance to add to the impetus necessary 
to put it where it is wanted. To use sufficient 
power in the right place, to get the fly straight out 
behind, and to know just when to begin the for- 
ward motion (the principal force in which is 
exercised at the first part of it, with just sufficient 
in the remainder of the cast to guide the fly and 
make it alight properly) can only be learned by 
practice; which, after a long enough time, enables 
one to cast far and fine without any consciousness 
of the methods employed. 

Comparatively few fish are killed on casts of 
over twenty-five yards and the great majority on 
considerably shorter ones. It is impossible to 
give actual directions how best to cast; the nearest 
to it that can be done is shown in the cuts. The 
best cast, and the most scientific, khown as the 
Spey, is accomplished either by wading or when 
standing on the bank of the river. It can only be 
acquired by much practice, and specially 
by forgetting trout methods, which are 
delicate and gentle compared to salmon angling 
and its tackle. Luck does perform the most ex- 
traordinary feats on salmon rivers, but none the 
less is it true that the angler who throws the long- 
151 



Fish and Fishing 

est line well, and knows the river best, will hook 
most fish in the season. 



TO GET THEM WITH LIVE BAIT 

Previous to 1893 no quinnat salmon were taken 
on the Pacific coast by rod and line, but in that 
year trolling for them was accidentally intro- 
duced during the fishing for mackerel. 
Salmon I^^^'i^g the summer months, the salmon 
enter Monterey Bay to feed on large 
quantities of sardines, smelts, and squid. The 
method employed in fishing is hardly up to the 
standard of the Atlantic coast; indeed, no fly 
fishing is practiced; the quinnat fly has yet to be 
invented. Meanwhile the fishing is done in two 
ways: trolling with spoon, with and without bait, 
and with baited hook attached below by a heavy 
sinker. If bait is scarce a spoon is used, but nat- 
ural bait is preferred. The most effective spoon 
is the "Wilson," a No. 6 being most 
w^Ui 'spoon ^^^^- Its shape is long and narrow, 
and rounded at each end. A great 
variety and many different sizes of hooks are used 
on the same size of spoon ; some use brazed treble- 
hooks. But as soon as bait is obtainable, the 
spoon is abandoned and the sinker is brought 
into play. 

The gear consists of a linen line from nine to 
fifteen thread, with a five-ounce lead sinker, hav- 
ing a brass eye in each end to which the line and 
snood are fastened. The snood is six feet in 
152 



How to Get Them 



length; half way between the sinker and hook 
is fixed a small box swivel, size No. 4, to admit 
of the hook turning freely. The bait is towed at 
a depth of at least twenty feet, and the usual sail- 
ing speed is four miles an hour. The best fishing 
is usually to be had during the forenoon and the 

best season is in June, and till well into 
\vUh *Bait August. Twenty-five fish is considered 

a good day's catch for 
one hook, the average size being 
a little over twenty pounds, though 
fifty pounds are occasionally 
caught. There is a mixed assort- 
ment of sportsmen and market 
fishermen. The latter, are some- 
what more crude in method, and 
if they use a rod at all (a com- 
mon bamboo pole) they drop it 
as soon as the salmon is on and 
haul in, hand-over-hand style. 

There are two live baits used in 
takingthe salmon, the worm and the prawn, the lat- 
ter being an exceedingly effective bait. It is used 
when the water is low and clear and 
Salmon^"**'' fly fishing is useless, but salmon will 
take it when the water is high, if it be 
clear. Before using, the prawn should be salted. 
The best prawn tackle is that shown above. The 
needle is put in at the tail and out of the head of 
the bait, and the point is then passed through the 
small loop on the shank of the lowest double hook ; 
a few turns of red silk are then taken round the 
153 




Prawn baited for 
salmon. 



Fish and Fishing 

tail to make all secure. A cast of fine single gut 

should connect the prawn with the reel line of 

fine dressed silk. The number of split 

iuShods s^^ts ^^ th^ ^^^^ must depend on the 

depth of water and force of the stream, 

but the prawn should lie in midwater as near as 

possible. Prawn tackle may be trailed after a 

boat or canoe, or merely cast across 

and a little down the streaiu, and 

allowed to work round like the fly ; or it may be 

cast into pools, allowed to sink, and then worked 

with a sink and draw motion. 

The worm, which is no less odious to fly fishers 
than the prawn, is a similar deadly bait for salm- 
on. Worming is carried on when the water is still 
thick, but clearing after a flood; also 
good for the first few hours of a rise. 
The usual method is to bait a large hook with three 
or four common garden worms of the largest size, 
threaded for half an inch in the middle of their 
bodies; then cast into spots where salmon are 
known to be plentiful. The worms are cast re- 
peatedly, and are allowed to trip on, or along the 
bottom. When a salmon seizes them the fish 
should be given a few seconds to gorge, and if he 
moves off at once, line should be played out, so 
that he feels no check. A weight on 
U^ins? ^ *^^ ^^^^ ^^' ^^ course, necessary, placed 
two feet from the bait, the weight de- 
pending on the strength of the current. The bait 
should be larger in very thick water than in water 
only slightly colored. 

154 



How to Get Them 



MASCALONGE AND PIKE 

For some reason or other the mascalonge pre- 
fers the s})oon in the early part of the season, and 
is not ready for Hve bait until the fall. In the 

, ^. clear and swifter waters of the upper 

In Rivers . ... 

Ohio and its tributaries the masca- 
longe lies in the deep pools during summer and 
fall, where it is often taken by still fishing. A 
large sucker, weighing from one-half a pound to a 
pound, is the favorite bait, with suitable rod and 

reel. The fish is given plenty of time to 
Fishinff &^^S^ before striking, this being necessary 

with so large a bait. Still fishing may 
also be practised on lakes, but the usual method 
is to troll. The best months are September and 
October, and the most favorable hours are early 
morning and late afternoon, though if the day be 
dark and cloudy, with a brisk wind, the middle 
of the day is just as favorable. 

For lake fishing a live or dead golden chub or 
silver shiner or dace is the best bait, or a 
medium-sized frog answers very well. The bait 

may be hooked on a similar gang to that 
F^hlnz shown for lake trout, only of a larger size, 

or on a Pflueger Imperial Minnow gang. 
No. 5. The same firm makes an excellent spinner 
known as the Olympia, adaptable for minnows. It 
consists of a pair of nickel fins which open and 
shut; the sharp points penetrate the gills, the 
nickel fins closing in at either side. The one made 
155 



Fish and Fishing 

for pike is quite large enough for mascalonge. 
There arc numerous frog gangs on the market. 

The Ketchum frog-casting frame gang, 
Qangs"^ Thatcher's floating -frog rig, and the 

Crosby frog tandem are excellent devices. 
Rowing along in water from five to ten feet deep, 
the bait should be cast as far 
as possible to the edge of weed 
patches, reeling in again very 
slowly ; or if the bait is alive, 

it may be allowed to 
Casting swim for a short time, 

outside of the water 
plants. By moving along con- 
tinuously and making fre- 
quent casts, this method is 
found much more effective 
than still-fishing. When the 
wind or current is just right, 
it is a good plan to drift while 
casting. As soon as the fish 
strikes and is hooked the 

boat should be moved to Olympia or Archer spin- 

ner for pike, trout 

deeper, open water (taking or bass. 

care the line is kept taut in order to lessen the 

chances of it taking to the weed.) A skilled 

boatman is necessary. 

The bait may be trolled along the edges of the 

_ „. channel, iust outside the weed patches. 

Trolling • u 4- -u r I 

trom a movmg boat, with a Ime ot 

thirty to fifty yards. A good, stout, stiff rod of 

eight feet, and a multiplying reel, a braided silk 

156 




How to Get Them 

or linen line, size E or F, with sproat hooks No. 
3-0 to 5-0 on gimp snells, and brass box-swivel for 
connecting snell and line, constitute the rest of 
the tackle. 

Many anglers troll with hand lines of heavy 
braided linen, but the use of a rod is of much 
greater service in playing the fish. A fish of such 
excellent game qualities deserves treatment of a 
better kind. 

PIKE AND PICKEREL 

In live-bait fishing for pike exactly the same 
method is in order as that used for the mascalonge, 
except, if the pike are not of great size, smaller 
hooks and fish for bait are used. The angler must 
judge, or inquire from native fishermen or resi- 
dents, what are the best bait and size of fish; ask 
more than one, and see if their information tallies. 
In some lakes golden chub will not go and silver 
dace are only taken, and vice versa. In some 
lakes yellow-bellied frogs are no good ; only white- 
bellied frogs are the thing because the fish 
are used to feeding on certain food. For 
medium-sized pike of ten pounds a shiner of eight 
inches is not too big, carefully hooked on minnow 
gang. It is perhaps the most deadly bait for the 
three members of the pike family. 

Live-minnow gangs now on the market are so 

numerous and so varied that it is impossible to 

describe them; any will do if hooked the right 

way. In England, both trolling and spinning for 

157 



Fish and Fishing 

pike have reached a fine art, and much of their 
tackle is in common use here; but their methods 
are not copied, I think to our disadvantage. 
They lack the splendid array of artificial lures 
invented, and now in common use here. 

Pickerel fishing is miniature pike fishing, with 
everything on a much smaller scale ; the length of 
minnows should not be more than three inches; 
frogs same size, with legs stretched, 
or large frog legs only if skinned and 
hooked in the centre, are good bait. A piece of 
bacon rind, cut in the shape of a minnow, often 
does good service; the cut-out lower belly of the 
perch with two red fins at top is a good trolling, or 
skittering, lure. Skittering is a method favorably 
known and in use all over the country. It is 
merely skittering or fluttering the lure on the sur- 
face of the water near lily pads and pickerel 
. weeds. The movement is made by 
sharp wrist twitches, to which the rod 
responds smoothly, moving the lure in jumps 
of about a foot. Cast from open water, or from 
the shore, in a light and delicate way, so as not to 
kill the bait. Drop it just as if the frog or min- 
now was jumping, not with such force as to smash 
the life out of it, or send it spinning away from 
the hook. In trolling keep the boat always 
on the move, slowly and steadily; if a stoppage 
occurs reel in, because the bait sinks and is likely 
to get fast to snags and stumps. If the fish goes 
for the lure, and misses, go right on; don't stop, 
but return on the round to the spot it was taken 
158 




POPULAR FRESH-WATER GAME FISH 



How to Get Them 

before and be ready to act if the strike is repeated. 
A pleasant and agreeable recreation is that of still- 
fishing from a boat, with live minnows 
Fishinsr ^^ ^ frog; by this method it is an advan- 
tage to use a float to keep the line from 
sinking and getting in the weed; when the fish 
takes the bait allow a little time for it to get the 
bait well in its mouth. After it has done so, it will 
move away; that is the time to strike, quick, but 
not too heavy. When a fish is on the oarsman 
should go at once for deeper water to keep out of 
the weeds. When a fish once gets entangled in 
the long stems of lily leaves, it's as good as lost. 

BLACK BASS 

WITH THE FLY 

All methods are considered legitimate with rod 
and line for bass, though fishing with a fly is 
more cleanly, less trouble, more humane. On 
M th t\ ^^^ ^^^* authority it has been said, 
"To be a successful fisher for the bass 
the angler must know something of its hab- 
its, its haunts and favorite resorts; on streams, 
the eddies of large boulders, deep water above 
and below, ripples, under shelving banks and 
rocks, submerged logs, and in the vicinity of 
gravelly bars and shoals." The most favorable 
time is morning and late afternoon, till dark. On 
hot days, the angler may take a rest during the 
noon hours; but a cloudy, dark day is good all 
159 



Fish and Fishing 

through. In wading one of my favorite streams, 
I hooked quite a number of fine bass while trout 

fishing with small flies, tied on No. 8 
places P^i^^^ll sneek hook, mostly after sunset; 

and with all due deference to many well- 
known and good authorities on this fish, I think 
black bass, and more of them, can be taken on a 
trout rig, rod, line and flies. Anglers must remem- 
ber when purchasing flies that in lakes large flies 
are necessary to be seen by the fish, especially in 
rippling water; but for fishing in streams, the right 
sizes for bass, large-mouth or small, are from 
Nos. 8 to 9. Small hooks hold just as well as large 
ones, in fact, better, if the hook gets between the 
bones. What I say regarding metal- 
fiTRivrrs^^ bodied flies for trout, applies equally 
well for bass. As a cast of flies I should 
select the coachman, silver doctor, red or black 
hackle; as a change, cahill, gray hackle, March 
brown, or queen of the water, with the addition of 
black gnat, or black hackle ; these in the different 
sizes mentioned will lure bass in most any locality. 
The rule applies with all fish — smallest and 
most sombre colors on bright days, in low 
and clear water, larger and brighter flies on dark 
days with high or rough water, and the same at 
evening. 

When the angler is wading the middle of the 
stream, and able to cast far enough to reach both 
banks, and that is very desirable, he should care- 
fully cover every point where large bowlders 
make eddies; in quick running waters bass move 
160 



How to Get Them 

from place to place, and are just as likely to be at 
the edge of the stream as in the middle, so that it 
will be wise to move slowly and carefully, with- 
out floundering about, and every fish hooked 
should be as soon as possible worked shore- 
ward; it saves time and temper, and baskets 
more fish. That done, return to the same spot, 
and cast in the same place again. It is quite likely 
there are more where the other rose; if not, float 
the fly further down, let it sink somewhat, and 
jerk it sideways. This movement often draws the 
attention of the fish more than if it floats on the 
surface. Bass, more than most fish, dart after 
moving lures; often they take the fly, like a flash, 
as it drops on the water. Bass like a long, deep 

pool; such a place I know, where two 
P^y ^ small rivers meet. Between the meeting 

of the waters there is a long line of bub- 
bles, continually flowing with many drowned flies. 
On each side of this line for 100 feet the water is 
ten to twenty feet deep. In the early part of the 
season it is full of a variety of fish — brook trout, 
brown trout, rainbow, bass, large chub and dace. 
It is very difficult to get near enough to cast un- 
less in plain view ; therefore few of the larger fish 
are taken, but at evening, casting fine and far, I 
often take out of the pool several nice fish, just 
at the time they are flopping for flies in all parts 
of the eddy. All pools should be fished from the 
bottom, casting up stream ; in that way the angler 
is not so easily visible, for bass are very shy and 
extremely wary. Caught unawares they are bold, 
IGl 



Fish and Fishing 

but after jumping and getting away that is the 
last of that fish for the day. 

Fishing on lakes and ponds is quite different 

from river fishing. The time of day, weather 

conditions, flies on the wing, all have influence in 

getting bass to rise to a fly. I find that 

G^n^dkfJns ^ wi^^y ^^7' ^^ rather rippling water, 

gray and lowering sky, just after a rain, 

on a warm morning, is about the best time to get 

a rise. Then use No. 6 or even No. 8 flies, allowed 

to sink a foot or two. Cast far enough from the 

boat, which should be kept in deep water, and 

cast toward the shallows of bars, shoals, and weed 

patches. If the angler is fishing from shore, he 

should keep out of sight, hiding behind trees or 

brushes. When larger flies are used, 

of^S^zht *^^ ^^^ sufficient on the cast, the end 

fly to be the lightest in color, the upper 

(two feet from it) a darker fly with red or yellow; 

the professor makes a good upper fly for such 

conditions. For evening, I would fish with the 

end fly a coachman, and the upper fly 

Kind of ^ queen, or king of the water, the only 

difference being the red or yellow body. 

I doubt if there is any difference when in the 

water. 

It often happens that as the fly is being taken 
from the water a bass dashes after it. This 
proves that the flies lying idly on the surface 
are of little value; if they sink, it's better; but 
better still, when under water, if they are moved 
from side to side, or up and down in short jerks or 



How to Get Them 

runs; the fish are more likely to take them. Have, 
therefore, the flies on the move as much as possi- 
ble. Of course, if you see a bass rising to the 

natural fly, make every effort to get 
jl*" ® within casting distance, and drop the 

cast in the very spot. If there is no 
response, repeat the cast a few feet away. My 
experience has been that bass are not often in the 
humor for flies; only when conditions are just 
right, on lakes or ponds, can they be persuaded to 
rise to any extent. Your neighbors, but a few 
yards distant, are possibly landing them right 
along, using a shiner, and if flies will not draw 
them up it will be an advantage to follow suit, 
that is, if you want to land fish. 

In short, if the truth be told, the bass, both 
large and small mouth, is a perfect live-bait fish 
in quiet water. In running, swift and rocky bot- 
tom water, it is a splendid fish for the fly, and 
may be relied on to give as good an account of it- 
self as any fish for its size. 

The bass takes best baits peculiar to the local- 
ity. In some sections it takes a lamprey eel 
more readily than a minnow, in others a frog; 

but for all sections the minnow heads 

Minnows ^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^' ^he 
first favorite is the shiner or dace, 

whose silvery sides show brightly in the water, 
especially so for rough, colored water, cloudy or 
dark days. Next come the golden chubs, good 
for bright days with clear water; their tougher 
mouths endure the hook longer and they are 
1G3 




Shiner baited on a single hook. 



Fish and Fishing 

more hardy and lively than the shiner; for that 
reason many anglers like them best. If the two 
mentioned are not available, young perch are 
good bait, but their spines should be clipped off 

with scissors. 



This operation, 
if done neatly 
and with dis- 
patch, does not 
impair their vitality. They are better in the early 
part of the season. Young suckers are also very 
good bait in low, clear water, and their tough, 
leathery lips hold well on the hook. The com- 
mon striped minnow found in little brooks, if a 
good size, is a very enticing bait, and especially 
good for trolling or spinning; its lips are too 
tender to hold on to a single hook, so that it is 
best to hook it fast through the 
body. The best length for these 
baits is about four or five inches. 
Even a small bass will go for that size, but the 
big bass like a 
good-sized bait. 
In baiting with 
minnows the hook 
should be entered 
through the low- 
er lio and out Two-hook minnow, live bait spinner, 

through the nostril ; in this way they will live for 
some time — though a dead one, thus hooked, floats 
in a natural way. On small streams, while wading 
the shallows and bars, the bass being very shy, 



How to Hook 
a Minnow 




How to Get Them 

the angler must proceed with caution, casting 
right to left across the stream from the banks and 
the middle. The bait rod is, compared to a fly 
rod, short and stifle, and the casting of bait is done 
to one side or the other, by underhand, the length 
of the cast being mostly due to the weight of 
the bait, and swivel, or sinker, the latter being 
heavier or lighter, according to depth or move- 
ment of the water. 

Next in order, as taking bait, I should place the 
helgramite, an ugly looking black creature known 

.. . ., by many names, indeed, every sec- 

Helgramite ^^ „ ^, ' , '.^ -^ 

tion oi the country has its own pe- 
culiar name; they may be 
found clinging to decaying 
timbers, in the crevices of 
submerged stone- work, also 
in the shallow ripples under 
flat stones. They are good Hooked helgramite. 
because they are so hardy, living almost any length 
of time in a vessel half filled with rotten aquatic 
plants. This creature, by means of its strong 
pincers, clings tenaciously to various objects es- 
pecially under stones, logs, even in swift-running 
streams, so that, when using it as a bait, it should 

be kept forever on the move to stop 
HelgrLmitr^ such tantrums. The way to hook 

it is by inserting the hook under 
the cap or shell that covers the neck, from behind 
forward, and bringing it through next to the 
head. It is a capital bait for bass, especially in 
rapids or shallow water. 

165 




Fish and Fishing 

In many localities the crawfish is an excellent 
bait, especially at the season when it casts its shell, 
when it is called a "shedder" or "peeler." 

They are found beneath stones at the 
sides of rivers and brooks, under shelv- 
ing grassy banks, among the pebbles; some bore 
holes in the meadows. The crawfish is not used 




Hooked crawfish. 

in casting or trolling, but in still-fishing. It has 
a bad habit of getting fast under any object it 
can. In its usual state, the way to hook 
it is through the tail, but when the 
shell is off, it is safer to hook it through the body. 
Crabs may be kept a long time in wet grass or 
moss. 

The lamprey is quite as good a bait as the craw- 
fish, and also gets fast under logs and rocks. 
It is known as the lamper-eel and 
inhabits fresh water of small rivers 
and brooks. It is usually found in the muddy 
sand, partially under water. To capture them 
it is necessary to dig with a spade about nine 
inches deep, throwing the mud on the dry bank 
and searching through it for the wriggles. It 
is back-aching work to get them, and the angler, 
after some little experience in lamper-digging is 
inclined to be over-generous to boys who get them 
for him. They are, after being impaled on the 
166 



How to Get Them 

hook, quite hvely, but soon die. In that condition 

they are useless. They should be hooked a little 

„ . . above the middle near the head, and are 

Hooking - . -ii n 1 • 1 

used mostly tor castmg, still-nshmg, and 

skittering, not for trolling. They should be kept 

in cool water with a plentiful supply of grass ; they 

are not so hardy, and rarely live through the day, 

unless the water is constantly changed and kept 

cool. Bass take them with avidity, and so do large 

chub, sometimes trout. 

The small catfish is another favorite bait with 
many bass anglers. They can easily be captured 
under stones along the shores. Get a good heavy 
stone to use as a hammer, and on seeing a stone 
with a shelving side, and flat at the bottom, strike 
it quickly and sharply on its top ; lift it up at once, 
and you may find underneath one or more catfish 
from two to four inches long, stunned 
Catf?s^ and helpless. Seize them quickly, avoid- 
ing the back spines, as they recover and 
disappear almost in an instant. This bait is 
very tenacious of life, and on a single one as 
many as five bass have been caught before the 
catfish died. 

Young frogs are often used for bait with good 

success in running streams as well as marshy 

ponds; also the hind legs skinned, of the larger 

frogs ; they may be skittered on the surface, in still- 

fishing, and a favorite method is to allow 

them to float down a runway. In hooking 

them, the point should be inserted through the 

under lip and brought through the tip of the nose. 

1G7 



Fish and Fishing 

They will live for some little time, if not beaten 
hard on the water. They are especially good 
around weeds and lily pads. 

Grasshoppers and crickets at seasons when 
they are full grown, are most attractive to bass. 
Cast lightly on the water; they will float alive 
down the stream on the surface. In their struggles 
they soon attract the attention of bass, and are 
taken under with avidity. They are just as good 
when dead, if a ripple on the surface is 
made by a brisk wind. Bass are always 
on the lookout for these fat toothsome dainties. 
They should be hooked through the upper part of 
the body, and a smaller 
hook employed. On large 
hooks they kick themselves 

^^^^^^^^ ^^^' "P ^^'^^ the point. 
-^ ^ Other minor baits are 

Hooked grasshopper. galt-water shrimps, either 
alive or preserved in salt brine. Sometimes the 
large worm, called night-walkers, is good bait. 
The number and variety of live bait that entice 
black bass have not yet been definitely settled. 
Certain it is they will take any living thing, small 
enough, and even sometimes too large for them 
to swallow. They are often found with sunfish in 
their gullets; the spines, upper and lower, seem 
to be no impediment, for they turn them and 
swallow them head first, the fins closing down 
like a fan, and slipping through without any diffi- 
culty. 



168 




How to Get Them 

HOW TO CAST WITH LIVE BAIT AND 
ARTIFICIAL LURES 

Doubtless nine-tenths of the bass fishermen fish 
with bait, artificial or natural ; and next to fly fish- 
ing, casting the minnow is the most artistic mode 
of angling for the black bass. I shall not attempt 
to describe its methods, but readers are advised 
to study the chapter on it, written by Dr. Hen- 
shall in his "Black Bass" book. His treatment 
of it is ample and sufficient. A few brief words 
w ith one or two practical lessons on the stream 
will help the novice to understand its main idea. 

The angler stands on the bank of a 
Casting ^ stream or lake, or in a boat, with a 

rod about eight feet in length, which 
is held, tip down, three or four feet from the 
body, either to the right or to the left; then 
with an upward swoop it is brought to about the 
height of the head, with the tip pointing in the 
direction of a rising bass, or where one is sup- 
posed, or hoped to be, the line running free from 
the reel until just a moment before the lure strikes 
the water, when it is stopped by the thumb of the 
T ki ^i^gl^^'- The tackle used is quite different 
from that used in casting the fly, the rod 
being eight feet long and rather stiff, with well 
made guides instead of rings. The reel of the best 
make should run as easily and smoothly as pos- 
sible, and multiply from two to four times. The 
reel line most suited is the smallest size, H or No. 6, 
169 



Fish and Fishing 

plaited raw silk, braided hard and close, and 
tinted, or part colored. Longest casts are made 
on the finest lines, but for very large bass, size G 
or No. 5 may be used; fifty yards is the usual 
length. Dr. Henshall's choice of a bass hook is 
the sproat, O'Shaughnessy, and round bend Car- 
lisle, the most suitable sizes being Nos. 1 and 2. 
Hooks should be tied on gut snells, but when 
pickerel or pike abound, gimp snells may be used. 
Pike and pickerel both readily take the same bait, 




Ready for the overhand cast. Position of rod when bait strikes the water. 

The latest method of bait casting for bass. 



live or artificial, as the bass. Where the fish live 
together it is not unlikely to get strikes from 
them. Henshall says, "The reel must be placed 

underneath the rod, on a line with the 
the^ast gui^^^sj ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ being underneath, 

the line is rove through the guides, and 
a box-swivel tied on the end; to the other ring of 
the swivel is looped the snell of the hook. The 
hook is then passed through the lips of a minnow 
from two to four inches long. If a sinker be re- 
quired in addition to the swivel, it should be 
170 



How to Get Them 

placed a foot above it. Make frequent casts, if 
fish are plentiful; cast below the ripples, sub- 
merged stumps, and weed patches. When a bass 
takes the bait, let him have it from two to ten 
seconds; if he bites eagerly, hook him at once. If 
he plays with it, keep the thumb on the spool; 
when he runs, hook him by a quick turn of the 
wrist. If in weedy or dangerous places, lead him 
to deeper water, never giving an inch of slack line 
till in the landing net." 

Many still follow Henshall's method of reel 
underneath, but in tournament and practical 
fishing a short five-foot rod is now very popular 
with the reel on top, as shown in cuts. 

ARTIFICIAL LURES 

FOR BASS AND PIKE 

Perhaps the most important device ever in- 
vented for the capture of fishes outside the hook 
is the spoon. It has paved the way for hundreds 
of ingenious, practical, and killing artificial lures 
for all kinds of fish. The most remarkable thing 
about them is that few attempts have been made 
to imitate natural bait, yet they have fully de- 
monstrated their effectiveness in taking fish. Most 
of them are of recent introduction, and for that 
reason have not been mentioned in angling books. 
I can only mention and describe a few of the many 
worthy lures, calling the attention of anglers, es- 
pecially of the East, to a very important and new 
171 



Fish and Fishing 

feature of fishing tackle. Many of our best trout 
and salmon flies are over fifty years old, and 
nothing since has been made to beat 
them; on the other hand, in the last few 
years, lures have been vasMy improved. The 
honor has been left to Western anglers of pro- 
ducing an array of lures, both saving in expense 
and more humane, and less objectionable than 
live bait. Moreover, nearly all are simple, and 
their use is mostly for trolling purposes, a few 
being made for casting; others are clever methods 
whereby we can overcome such difficulties as 
trolling through weeds. Some, by their peculiar 
make, dart from side to side in quick move- 
ments, to imitate minnows. All have some good 
reason to recommend themselves. They are 
well worth the price asked, and should be tried 
by bass fishermen because they are on the 
market to stay, having been tested in the West 
where artificial lures are much more commonly 
used than in the East. Take, for instance, the 
well-known Dowagiac baits; in appearance and 
color they are very striking, as they spin per- 
fectly through the water; the fish go for them and 

they take the fish every time. Their names 
Names ^^^ Bing's Nemahbin weedless minnow, 

Shakespeare's "revolution" and "evolu- 
tion," the latter having attached the buck-tail; as 
a troller it is a certain "killer." In fact, the buck- 
tail seems to be the coming lure for bass and pike, 
the former especially. Worden's buck-tail minnow 
and spinner are doing wonders in right hands, 
172 



How to Get Them 

that know how to handle them. The buck-tail 
seems to have found a place that the old red- 
and-white feather had on the spoon. Pflueger 
has a buck-tail bass fly, trout fly, phantom, gang 
fly, casting spoon and minnow, each one of them 
being merely a bunch of white hair of the buck's 
tail, with different attachments, but all arc quickly 
pushing forward as successful baits. Again, from 
the plain spoon has developed the pilot, the pilot 
spinner and turn-a-frog. Another good lure is the 
Mohawk darter, which has the remarkable feat- 
ure of darting as well as revolving. The silver 
soldier is made of a thin, simple piece of silver, 
curved and shaped like a minnow. 
These, when properly used in the right 
places, succeed in luring fish. Trolled with a 
sinker, the silver soldier is a good lake-trout lure. 
Still more remarkable are the coaxer and teaser 
baits, shaped like a small bird with white body 
and red wings; they take fish a-plenty, in some 
way, perhaps by teasing and coaxing; if so, they 
are rightly named. The remarkable devices in- 
vented to slip through weeds are another develop- 
ment of tackle that takes a load of trouble off the 
angler. They may not always succeed, and may 
sometimes miss a fish if gingerly taken; but that 
is a small matter if they serve the purpose of going 
through a weed patch in comparative 
Lures ^^* safety. The new idea of having spin- 
ners revolve both ways in order to 
avoid a kinking line is another boon to anglers, 
because many spin so fast as to put a stop to fishing 
173 



Fish and Fishing 

without such an advantage. An eastern lure, 
rapidly gaining friends, is the yellow kid, made 
by Wm. Mills & Son, N. Y. It is painted 
a bright yellow, it spins through the water in 
great shape, and must attract attention a long 
distance from it. One would imagine that any 
bright object moving along the water would 
entice the fish to take it, if only from curiosity; 
always on the lookout for food their instinct 
moves them to grab a moving object to find 
out how it tastes; but, too late to draw back, 
the barb invariably holds tight and so captures 
them. 

While these ingenious lures are doing their full 
share in taking fish, it must not be forgotten that 
the spoon is still a factor, and, in variety and effec- 
tiveness, a careful selection of spoons is invalu- 
able to the angler. All large game fish take a 

^, ^ spoon, either alone or with attach- 

The Spoon ^ . . . . , , 

ments, made in every conceivable 

shape to suit different fish and locality, such 
as round, kidney, fish head, willow leaf, beaded, 
heart shape, grooved, curved and bent in every 
manner possible. There are spinners, single, 
cyclone, and double, some with feathers and 
some without. The Wilson spoon, a perfect egg- 
shape, with a turned tip on the fore end, gives a 
wobbling motion that attracts fish; the darting 
spoon darts up and down and side to side. The 
Tacoma bait has two kidney-shaped blades, each 
revolving in opposite directions. The Lake Tahoe 
and Seattle Trout and McMurray spinner, the 
174 



How to Get Them 

latter an elongated heart-shaped spoon, spinning 
from a central tube, are effective for salmon and 
mascalonge. Most of them take fish, without the 
addition of feathers or live bait. Opinions are di- 
vided as to the use of bright feathers, hid- 
Varfetv ^^§ ^^^^ treble-hook ; some take the feathers 
off, in place of them fastening on a 
single large hook uncovered. It seems reasonable 
that if the fish take the revolving bright spoon for 
a minnow, the feather is entirely unnecessary. 
The same reason may be advanced against adding 
to the spoon a live or dead minnow. It would be 
an interesting experiment if some angler were to 
devote his time to angling for the various large 
game fish, and to confine himself entirely to the 
spoon, both with the attachments and without; of 
course, it would be necessary for him to be thor- 
oughly acquainted with the seasons when the fish 
are taking spoons; for instance, the masca- 
longe, in Chautauqua Lake, will take the spoon 
and not the minnow (alive or artificial) in the 
Spring, and they take the minnow and not the 
spoon in the Fall. I was much interested on a 
recent visit to find that a local angler, J. M. 
Daniels, of Bemus Point, had made a spoon, most 
ingenious, and humane as well as effective. The 
spoon itself is made in steel, bronze, brass, and 
gold, the last expensive, being made 
sl)oo''n*''"^^ from old watch cases; it is non- 
tarnishable. In shape and size it is 
exactly like a table spoon, a trifle flatter, but 
instead of the usual triangle hook it has a 
175 



Fish and Fishing 

powerful double hook curved down, the barb 
pointing exactly right to pull as well as to 
hold. It is very artistically dressed to hide the 
hooks with buck's tail, red feather, and peacock 
feather. It did the trick; secured more fish than 
those I had, though anglers there admired my 
Pflueger tandem spinner, which I had success 
with. I am convinced that the triangle hook is 
inferior to hold, and to get a hold (especially 
the very large ones), to the double or even single 
hook. It is not often that a treble hook has more 
than one barb fastened; sometimes two, hardly 
ever three. If a single large hook is left free, it goes 

in to stay, it holds, and a double hook, 
Discard ^Q^h points being one-sided, also takes 
Hooks hold to stay. Many expert anglers agree 

on this point ; they invariably replace the 
treble hook by a single one. The larger salmon 
are taken on flies with a single hook, and the 
monster game fish of the sea are taken on a single, 
though of a good size; still the subject is a matter 
of personal opinion, and each angler will do as 
he pleases, whatever is said in books. 

There is now a large bass fly, as well as trout fly, 

made with small spinners above, some revolving 

both ways; others single and revolving from a 

central rod. They are very attractive 

Spoons ^ both for light casting on the surface, 

and useful under water with sinkers, 

to be trolled along a few feet from the bottom and 

a few feet from the surface, wherever the fish may 

lie. These tiny spoons, glistening on a dull day, 

176 



How to Get Them 

can be seen better than the fly alone. Trout 
often refuse to rise to the fly on the surface, but 
readily take it, if sunk to the depth where they 
lie, the spoon acting as an additional lure. 

Artificial minnows for trolling, casting, and 
spinning are made of rubber, wood, metal, and 
even glass, of all sizes. They are painted in col- 
ors, silvered and gilt ; some are used with the fly at 
the end, others made with fly below 
and spoon on top, a combination that 
seems unnatural. The wooden, painted minnows 
with glass eyes and two nickle spinners are cer- 
tainly killing for bass, pike, and trout. The 
mascalonge will take them just as readily as the 
natural minnow. Large and small trout take 
them, if suited to their size. The rubber 
minnow, silvered or painted natural colors, 
when made to spin properly, is also a favorite, 
but the silk phantom in any size seems to be in 

^, ^ greater demand. The propellers cause 
Phantom *. . ,. , • i 

them to spm periectly, either castmg or 

trolling ; they should be slowly moved through the 

water when trolling. Those of the smaller size 

never fail to lure pickerel, perch, trout, and the 

larger pike, mascalonge and salmon. Bass, I think, 

at all times and places, go for a phantom minnow 

in running rivers or quiet lakes. I have taken 

bass on a phantom minnow with treble hooks 

removed, and single ones in place. The trouble 

with small phantoms is that they soon become 

chewed out of shape and therefore do not spin 

properly; if the body, instead of being simply 

177 



Fish and Fishing 



Rubber 
Imitations 



skin, could be filled with a light pliable substance, 

it would obviate such a difficulty. 

The soft-rubber imitations of frogs, dobsons, 

crawfish, grasshoppers, and worms, are not yet 

made well enough to deceive even a fish. 
They are clumsy and so cheaply made, 
no doubt by machinery, as to be worse 
than useless. They are only success- 
ful when played skilfully in rapid 

motion, and the fish go for them 

suddenly. These smaller lures 

should be made, like flies, by 

hand, of material that will give 

a more natural appearance, and 

the forms designed in a taking 

manner. A good frog, modeled 

in the attitude of swimming with 

a single hook on its back, would, 

no doubt, take fish, and plenty Hand-made spinners 

of them. As now made, they are ^^'pSeL^'"' 

nothing near what the minnow is 

capable of doing. After all the efforts made to 

lure fish, the old-fashioned, plain, sim- 
Ornament P^^ spoon, with but a single hook, 

either cast or trolled, without bait or 
feathers attached, and placed in the hands of 
an angler who knows how to properly use it, 
will do wonderful things that would surprise 
the novice who uses the most complicated 
and advanced tackle. That is why so many 
will not give a trial to new things, and the 
manufacturer goes on producing unusual lures; 
178 



How to Get Them 

whereas the old ones, if improved, would he 
better. 

It is not so much the lure as the working of it 
properly, placed at the right depth, moved at the 
proper rate, and used at the right time. This is 
not easily told in books; it is gained by experi- 
ence, combined with sense. In short, the angler 
should endeavor to get the best out of any lure he 




Wood's Expert. 

uses ; in every one of them there is some good and 
the problem is to find out where that good lies. 

Fly spoons for bass are practical; the little 
spoon draws attention only when it is 
worked in a lively manner, below the 
surface, or cast and skittered on the surface. 

Trolling is simple; more depends on the 
steadiness of the oarsman and his knowledge of 
how fast he should move to suit the lure used. 
Casting and spinning depend for success upon 
the way they are done. A good caster or spin- 
ner takes twice as many fish on the same lure as a 
novice, and to be an expert caster or spinner is 
an art requiring much patient practice to make 
perfect. 

The manner of working artificial lures is so 
varied, according to the kind of fish as well as 
lure, that it is only possible to describe the most 
179 



Fish and Fishing 

important needs; but even from such a descrip- 
tion, with a very httle practice, any intelHgent 

angler will be able to take a lure 
^lid'^ufre^***' where fish are, and catch them. 

Spoon and minnow lures are used 
mostly for bass, mascalonge, pike, pickerel, various 
trout, and, in some regions, salmon. The angler, 
if strange to the locality, should endeavor, first, 
to find out a local boatman, guide, or native an- 
gler, and question him regarding the fish, what they 
are, where they lie, what bait they are caught on. 




Haynes Pearl Minnow. 

Guides usually insist that their methods, baits and 
themselves are the only means of getting fish. In 
rare instances it may be so, and your carefully 
selected tackle goes for naught for a while. You 
can then test your own ideas and tackle, which will 
be an interesting comparison. Nine times out of 
ten, if you are up to snuff, and understand your- 
self how to work things, you will do quite as well 
as the guide. In lakes and ponds bass frequent 
rocky bottoms, sometimes sandy, at others weedy; 
they rarely frequent very deep water. You will 
soon find out, if the boatman does not 
know, how deep the water is by the 
rate your minnow or spoon sinks. I always carry a 
sinker and get the soundings when boating. Water 
round the edges is nearly always from two to fif- 
180 



How to Get Them 

teen feet deep; weeds are a good test of depth. 
Minnows and spoons should run through the 
water about two feet deep (rowing just fast enough 
to make the lures spin) and should be kept in the 
water that depth; whenever the boat stops, reel 
the line in, or it gets fast at the bottom. In turn- 
ing round make a wide sweep and the lure will 
follow; if a sudden turn is made the line gets 
snagged. The same depth should be maintained 
for mascalonge and pike; a little deeper does no 
harm if there are no weeds. For deep water trout 




Dowagiac Rainbow. 

a sinker is necessary. They sometimes lie forty 

feet deep in unbroken bottoms, jumping in places 

from forty to twenty; that can be found out 

by soundinpj. When a fish takes the 

D CI 

and^Steady ^"^^' whether you get it or not, it is 
wise to remember the length of line 
out, and rate of rowing, so that it may be repeated. 
In using light lures and fly spoons for casting 
on the surface, the rule is to cast just inside of 
the weeds, or nearest the centre of the lake. This 
applies to all fish, more especially pike, mascalonge 
and pickerel; but for trout and charrs, round or 
near the mouths of fresh- water, running in, are the 
best places to work at. Trout are, perhaps, the 
hardest to find in lakes; they lie at times in shal- 
lows and at other times in the deepest parts, ac- 
181 




Fish and Fishing 

cording to the season and the weather. In large 

rivers, and pools that are deep in small rivers, the 

spinning lures as well as the spoons can 

be let run down with the flow of the 

water, if forceful enough to make them spin; or 

they can be cast and drawn in against the flow of 

water. Lures are not effective worked in water 

less than two feet deep. At such times only light 

surface spinners should be used. A taut line must 

be constantly kept in working the lure, and when 

a strike occurs on a spoon 

the fish should be at once 

checked, and if moving, 

the boat should be stopped 

Coaxer. g^j^^j ^\^q po^j tjp raised, 

and the hand brought to the reel immediately. 

It all depends on what fish it is, and how big; 

if a large mascalonge, or any large fish, wants to 

go and it is away from the weeds, let it have the 

fun of the run. Keep the rod up all the 
pfav'^*^^ time, let the tip bend and do the work, 

or, if the fish wants you to have the fun, 
reel in all it allows you. Let this go on till you feel 
you have command over it, and can, with safety to 
the tackle, bring it toward you. Always let a fish 
have any amount of reasonable play if the tip is up 
and line taut; sudden jerks fiing it off the hook; 
too strenuous reeling in is most likely to witness his 
departure. The first, second, and third rushes of a 
big trout, salmon or mascalonge should have the 
tenderest attention from you; your savage and 
stern demeanor are better reserved till the fish is 
182 



How to Get Them 

boated. All artificial lures require that the fish 

be struck immediately it takes them, for it feels 
the artificial nature of the lure as soon 

pfsh Work ^^ ^* touches the jaws. With the nat- 
ural minnow you must wait for it to 

be gorged. The lure is different; it is like the fly; 

promptness wins the fish. Very often in striking 




1. Pflueger's Wilson spoon. 2. Cyclone spinner. 
3. Tandem spinner. 4. Buck-tail trout spinner. 

it hooks itself; in that case you will know by its 
actions, usually a leap above the surface, or a surge 
down below; in every and all cases, bring the butt 
close to your chest and rod tip in the air. Of the 
artificial lures illustrated herewith, all have either 
been tested by the author, or he has reliable and 
trustworthy endorsements of capable experts. 
183 



Fish and Fishing 



Wood 
Minnow 

quired. 



Trout 
spinner 



The Wood's Expert is one of five varieties, 
and the advantage of it is threefold. It has 
double instead of treble hooks at the sides, so that 
they lie closer and fit snug against the 
body, yet they are more effective ; the 
hooks can also be easily detached if re- 
Another good feature 
is the perforated spinners, giv- 
ing, as they do, less resistance 
and friction in retrieving. Then, 
again, it always floats, belly 
down, and can be used either 
at the surface or allowed to sink 
as desired. 

The Haynes Pearl minnow is 
another excellent lure ; the body 
being made of pearl is naturally 
a better minnow imitation and it is always 
bright and luminous, however much used, 
and cannot be bitten and cracked, like 
the painted wood minnows. It does 
away with side hooks, having 
iVUnnow ^^^y ^ feathered treble hook at 
the tail, the spinner at the head. 
The body runs along without revolving, and its 
iridescent appearance must be attractive to game 
fish from a long distance. 

The Dowagiac minnows, of which there are 
numerous designs, both in shape and color, are 
beautifully made; and in color, I think, impossible 
to improve, so natural do they look as they move 
along in the water. They are justly a favorite 
184 




Hilde- 
brandt 
casting 
spoon. 



How to Get Them 



because they attract fish, and securely hold them. 

They are constructed with single pairs, double 

^ . pairs, and single treble hooks, with 

Dowagiac . . ^ . .i i i .1 

two spniners, one at the head, the 

other at the tail. 

The Jamison coaxer is one of the most origi- 
nal lures ever invented. Its holding power is lim- 
ited to one large hook, hidden 
most artfully inside two large 

^ red win2;s. It looks, 

Coaxer 1 • .1 11 

and IS, a thoroughly 

practical lure, and it holds the 

quarry, as well as coaxes it. It 

has come to stay as a general 

favorite with all bait casters. 

The Hildebrandt spoons and 

spinners are modest in size and 

simple in construction. Only 

single hooks are used, but they 

are so well constructed on right 

lines that they worthily 

Hook^ find a first place in the hearts of every 

angler. The trout tandem is an excellent 

lure, sure and safe, spinning perfectly easy each 

way, sli|)ping through the weeds and working to 

perfection. 

Pflueger's Tandem spinner with speckled 

guinea-fowl's feathers is a lure that is 

Sp/nn^T necessary to every angler's outfit. The 

Wilson spoon, of suitable size, with the 

bent tip, is also a prime favorite for all kinds of 

game fish. 

185 




Freeport frog hook. 



Fish and Fishing 

In the Freeport frog and minnow hook we have 
a later device, which has quickly found a host of 
friends; the treble-hook chain attachment being 
a never-failing trap for the wariest and largest 
fish ; there is no doubt of its holding tight as well 
as luring them. One interesting new feature is 
that it is colored blue. I believe it is the only 
one of that color on the market. Of its effective- 
ness, both as a weedless lure and an attractive 
one, every angler who has used it, bears witness. 

TROUT 

WITH THE FLY 

The legitimate methods of fishing for trout are 
fly-casting and worm-fishing, with a light rod and 
delicate water gear. I am pleased to quote the 
late Wm. C. Harris who says: "I am not so iron- 
clad in my opposition to bait-fishing for trout, 

. . as are many of my brother anglers. It 

Methods . . ' '. u A 1 1 ^ f 

IS an art m itseli, and a knowledge ot 

the habits of the fish and of the stream in which 
it lives is as necessary for success as it is in fly- 
fishing." To this I fully agree and therefore often 
practise it. 

Fly-fishing for trout is followed by the great 
majority of anglers, and their methods of fishing a 
stream are somewhat diverse; but all agree that 
in slow-moving waters the best course is to fish 
up stream, and in swift running ones, down 
stream, making a detour when a likely pool is 
186 



How to Get Them 

reached, fishing from the lower end to its head. In 
fishing up stream the cast of flies comes quickly 
down on the current, but this can 
St?eam ^'''^" ^^ partially avoided by directing 
the flies diagonally up and across. 
On bright days and in low water trout are timid, 
and in the latter part of the season leave the shal- 
lows, when the sun is up, and go under a large 
rock or bank on the shady side. On dark days 
and at night-time trout, as a rule, rise more freely. 
Trout in a current always poise with head against 
it, and are less likely to see the angler below them 
than when he is fishing down stream. If the 
water be agitated, either by wind or pebbles at the 
bottom, it disturbs the acuteness of sight 
^*"g ^ of trout. In a brook of dancing and rip- 
pling water, falling over numerous ob- 
structions, wind is a disadvantage unless it blows 
in the direction of the cast. To cast against the 
wind it is necessary to use great force, and immerse 
a large portion of the line in the water, especially 
with very light line and leader, so that it is best to 
limit operations to the pools. 

If conditions are ideal and trout are taking the 

fly readily, make the most of your time; fish 

quickly, walk over intervening ground 

Ouickly smartly, take the trout off the hook and 

basket them as speedily as possible. As 

long as you are fishing do it as if you expected 

a rise at every cast; many a good fish have I 

lost in an inadvertent moment. If you are 

tired, or the trout are not taking, sit down and 

187 



Fish and Fishing 

smoke; fly-fishing and smoking hardly fit. 
All beginners in the art of fishing, if they wish 
to excel, should commence in streams where 
the trout are remarkably shy, and they will 
thus sooner become skilful. If they commence 
in private, well-stocked streams, they will get 
into a careless style of fishing and be ill-tempered 
on a well-fished stream, where they ply their lures 
to the terror and alarm of almost every trout in 
the water, and return, if not with an empty bask- 
et, at least with a very light one, with the excuse 
that the water is too clear. Perhaps the easiest 

of all fishing is the small mountain 
FiThinff brooks. It's a matter of choice to fish 

up or down. If down, the flies can be 
guided thirty feet ahead and run to every nook 
and corner, practically without casting at all, the 
force of the current doing most of the work. In 
fishing up, however, the case is different; repeated 
casts are required. I have done both and the 
catch is about equal. Fishing up is certainly 
harder work, both in wading and casting; much 
depends upon the water. I like better to fish home 
than to fish away; in the latter the long walk back 
is not so agreeable as to end, with a full basket, 
right at my temporary home. 

Before I reach the stream to fish my fly-book is 
prepared with half a dozen leaders with the flies 
attached, so that all there is to be done is to tie the 
cast to the line. It is better stiU to have the pre- 
pared leaders in a small round flat box, arranged 
between layers of damp blotting paper. In this 
188 



How to Get Them 

way the gut is wet and the flies are out straight at 
the first cast. By this means time is saved and put 
to better use when needed. This method is invalua- 
ble at dusk, when it is difficult to see and to tie good 
and fast. Three flies are |)laced on a six-foot leader, 
and you will find loops to be a decided 
Casfs^^^ advantage — quicker to change, and not 
easily fraying the line, as when the 
fly is tied to the line proper; then again, both 
dropper and second fly work away better from 
the line. Some anglers use a nine-foot leader, but 
I find it too long in the act of landing fish; while 
in the water, it is difficult to lead the fish to the 
net. It is not possible to reel the knot (where the 
gut is fastened to the line) past the tip. At least, 
it is not a wise thing to do if you have a large fish. 
Approach with caution and step quietly into the 
stream, either in the boil of a rapid, or on the 
shallows near the bank. Never step into or near 
a pool, but cast first short distances, especially 
around large rocks where the eddies swirl by, 
thereby making bubbles in a line from it. Un- 
derneath those bubbles lie the fish, rising at times 
for the flies floating down. These are mostly dead 
flies, and a black-winged fly should be on the end 
of the cast because more easily seen. It very often 
happens that you scare away a big one just as you 

get in the water. On the following day 
Ouietlv start in at the same place, but give a few 

casts without being seen at the edge, 
to get that same trout; it's more than likely to be 
there, and if in the humor it will take the fly offered. 
189 



Fish and Fishing 

I must constantly repeat, trout are shy. I know a 
pool, the shady side of the river being high rocks 
and impossible to fish from, which contains a nice 
lot of big trout, having a complete range of over a 
hundred feet. They would never rise while the 
angler was in sight, and the cast was too far be- 
cause of branchy trees. I floated the flies down 
by the current, and so got them in that way, but 
not till I had fished in vain many times; seeing 
me there casting, they refused to rise. 

In ideal rivers, wadable from the middle, like 

the Beaverkill, N. Y., the cast may be placed all 

over the stream; cast first one side, letting it go 

to the middle with the current, then a 

Rshinir ^^^^ ^^^* ^^ ^^^ other side, then move 
forward a few yards; it is impossible to 
wade up such a stream of swift water. If you 
want to fish up, the only way is to cast from the 
sides, and this may not be possible in the best 
places because of foliage lining the shore. 

Casting the fly at night-time, unless the water 
is familiar, is unsatisfactory work, even if fish 
rise well; the line is apt to get entangled and 
the flies, because unseen, may be all twisted 
up; a similar trouble is found in playing and 
landing. The choicest half hour of the day, of 
course, is from sundown to when the stars ap- 
pear. Then the true angler is busy and every cast 
made to count; and you may be ex- 
cused if impatient at playing the fish, 
when others are rising and plopping all around. 
At such times a black fly and white fly are neces- 
190 



How to Get Them 

sary. Every angler finds the coachman the favor- 
ite evening fly, but to my mind, the black gnat is 
equal. Water flies are more on the wing at night 
than at daytime; that is the sole reason why the 
trout rise better, for trout have no mind to go 
hungry. 

In fishing a trout stream, the same flies will 
lure and be suited to nearly all the trout and 
charrs. I have taken a mixed basket of brook 
trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, on 
Flies ^^ *^^^ same cast of flies; large variety of 
flies is unnecessary. Thad. Norris said, 
forty years ago: "Don't bother with a lot of flies. 
Here are four that will serve all purposes: one 
is the red spinner, the second a black gnat, the 
third is the coachman, the fourth, and best of 
them all, is the red hackle." I consider this to- 
day a good selection, though much depends upon 
the size; they must be small, smallest in hot, bright 
sunshine and low water, larger at evening and 
on dark days. But I have for these last two sea- 
sons used nothing but four flies of my own inven- 
tion, tied, at my request, by Abbey & Imbrie, 
N. Y. Some of my friends have tried them with 
pronounced success. I had a theory that a metal- 
body fly would be more killing, and be seen at 

a greater distance, because of the flash 
R^H^^H ^^ ^^g^t moving through the water from 
Flies either silver or gold, though I find silver 

more taking. The best fly was a silver 
body, gray wings, black hackle and tail; the 
next best, a gold body, with brown speckled 
191 



Fish and Fishing 

wings, reddish orange hackle and tail; another, with 
silver body, black wings, gray hackle and tail, 
and the last had silver body, white wings, gray 
hackle and tail. These four flies gave such good 
account of themselves that my friends and I are 
content to use no others, at least until they stop 
raising fish. These flies are tied upon a No. 8 
Pennal sneck hook. To rise trout and hook them, 
I strongly and firmly believe size has more eflfi- 
ciency than color of wings; and a No. 8 hook, or 
even smaller, works the trick from spring to fall 
(that is, in running streams). Lake fishing is an- 






Exact size of author's silver and gold body trout flies. 

other matter, and will be treated separately. 
Rules cannot be rock-bound, as you can always 

regulate the color of flies by practice, 
Colo^" and my practice has proved beyond 

doubt that black, brown, and gray- 
colored flies used together and varied in size ac- 
cording to circumstances, will at any time kill as 
well and even better than the most elaborate col- 
lection arranged for every month in the year. If 
you have the three colors mentioned you cannot 
be far off the mark, as they comprise all the lead- 
ing colors of insects in nature. A white fly is of 
192 



How to Get Them 

great value at times, though a black fly is seen at 

night just as well by the trout, but not by the angler. 

My great o})jecti()n to the flies ofl"ered for sale 

is that they are much too large and bushy for clear 

water. Every possible advantage is in favor of a 

lightlv dressed fly; it is more like 

FUei"* ^"*^^ t^^^ natural insect, it falls lighter in 

the water, and the hook is not so 

covered with feathers as to stop it from getting a 

good hold. 

In addition to the above four flies, I think it 
wise, nay necessary, to have a cast of hackles or 
spiders of black, brownish red, ash color, or gray. 
In the summer months, when trout are lazy and 
well fed, or much fished and very shy, the spider 
will be found more deadly than the winged fly ; so 
that if the leader be a gray-winged fly, remove it 
and put on a gray hackle or spider of 
the same size. The reason is that the 
hook is better concealed, and if the fly is made of 
soft hackle the water agitates the feathers, giving 
them a life-like appearance. If the trout will 
not take a gray hackle, try the black, and after- 
ward the brown. In case all these fail, give up 
and go home. 

For brilliant primary colors (red, yellow, and 

blue) I have no use, having long since given them 

away to inquisitive strangers on the 

Flies ^"* stream who ask what fly I got it on. 

Nothing is more exasperating than to be 

expected (even by friends) to give one's taking 

flies, especially when the supply is getting low. 

193 



Fish and Fishing 

On the stream, neither borrow nor lend. If 
you are a true angler you will amply provide your- 
self; if not, patiently wait till you can resupply. 
The careless angler must be taught a lesson in 
providing his wants, not encouraged to depend 
on others to whom they are rarely grateful. 
The art of dry fly-fishing is a beautiful and 





Exact size of dry flies for trout and grayling. 

highly scientific branch of angling, which has been 
practised on English streams for some time, and 
is yearly coming more into favor in our 
Fishinc^' ^^^ country. It is only possible here to 
give a slight inkling of it. To get a thor- 
ough knowledge of the science the reader should 
consult the works from the pen of Frederick M. 
Halford. It consists of casting a " single " fly, per- 
fectly dry, upon the surface of the water, and 
floating it passively down stream over a rising fish, 
instead of submerged, and guided hither and yon 
across the current. The flies are made specially 
with cocked wings, and are exceedingly small, yet 
more like nature than the average wet fly. They 
are marvels of neatness and sombreness, 
and so natural are they thrown, that they 
deceive any fish, particularly large ones. The 
angler is supposed to cast only when the fish are 
194 



How to Get Them 

visibly feeding. He tlien selects his fish, gets be- 
hind it (that is, below it), and pre})ares for a cast. 
Then taking two or three false casts in the air to 
judge the exact distance, the fly is thrown with 
the intention of making it alight gently a foot or 
two above the rising fish, and exactly in 
his line; for a well-fed fish will rarely go 
even a few inches out of his way for a passing fly. 
If the fly falls short or wide, it should be left till 
the line has floated some distance to the rear of 
the fish, when it must be picked off and whisked 
through the air two or three times to dry the wings 
and hackle before a new cast is made. To suc- 
ceed even moderately well requires a vast amount 
of practice; clumsiness and bungling are fatal and 
put the fish down, and it stops feeding. If the 
fly comes down exactly in the right spot, the fish 
takes it, if not, the glittering gut arouses its sus- 
picions and it does not fall a victim to the angler's 
effort. A most important part of this science is 
to recognize readily the fly on which the fish are 

^.. feedino^, and be able to match it with a 
Flies . 

good imitation. The most famous flies are 

olive dun, red quill, red spinner, jenny spinner, 
black gnat, and the alder. 

The art of dry fly-fishing is of no advantage 
when fishing down stream in wild water; its suc- 
cess is when fishing from below a quiet, deep pool. 

The tackle is exceedingly light, and the gut at 

least nine feet long; and the point to be attained 

is to make the fly drop on the water, float upright 

on the surface for a few seconds (as the natural 

195 



Fish and Fishing 

fly does), and then take it away again without going 
under water. The use of dry fly-fishing may be 
brought in play for any of the trout and charr, 
if the water is suitable. It is, of course, more val- 
uable late in the season, when the water is low 
and the sun bright. Dry fly-fishing should not be 
attempted by any but expert casters; the tyro had 
better be content with wet-fishing, which, to do 
thoroughly, requires many years' study and prac- 
tice; indeed, it is quite sufficient for all the streams 
I know, and they are many. English streams 
where the art is practised most are the Test and 
Itchen rivers. The water is slow, deep, and very 
clear; they are over-fished and the trout are 
pretty scarce. 

CASTING THE FLY 

FOR TROUT 

Casting the fly for trout is the most delicate and 
refined art in the range of sport. The quickest and 
best way to become proficient is to use patience, 
and observe an experienced fly caster on the 
stream. First, bear in mind that the rod has to do 
far more work than the arm ; in fact the arm, ex- 
cept in very long or peculiar casts, does very little. 
In preparatory practice the novice should have a 
six-foot leader on which is tied a single small hook ; 
attach to the hook a small piece of white rag, an 
inch square, fold it on the hook over the barb, then 
draw about eight yards of line off the reel, and 
196 



How to Get Them 

force it out as far as possible. If practising on a 
lawn, it is necessary that the gut be stretched 

out straight so that it will throw prop- 
Practice ^^h'- Place a mark eight yards away 

and aim for it. Raise the rod-point 
a little, and when the rod is at an angle of about 
forty-five degrees, by a wrist movement bring it 
sharply back on your side. Check your arm an 
instant as the rod points nearly straight up above 
the head, and the line will then fly out behind; then 
again using the wrist, bring the rod rapidly for- 
ward from the upright to the angle of forty-five 
degrees, avoiding anything in the nature of a jerk, 
and check it. The line will fly out in front of you, 
and, if not a long one, the end of it will come to the 
ground or water (if on the stream) before any other 
part. In these quick movements of the wrist the 
chief difficulty of fly-casting lies, and 

Movement ^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ have used a fly-rod 

for some time that the muscles of the 

wrist become properly developed and we acquire 

the knack of casting well. Give full time for the 

line to get out behind before making the forward 

cast. In the overhead cast the rod points only a 

trifle to the right when the back cast 

CaS^ ^^ ^^ being made, and is almost upright 

when the forward cast is in progress. 

The underhand, or horizontal cast, is very similar 

to the overhead cast, the only difference being 

that in lieu of the rod being kept for the most 

part upright, it is held in a horizontal position, 

that is, in line with the earth. But it can only be 

197 




Fish and Fishing 

})ractised when the ground behind is flat and 
clear. One advantage of it is that the rod being 
held low is not seen by the fish. If 
Cast '^ you fail to cast lightly, aim at an im- 

aginary point in the air two feet above 
where you wish the fly to fall. When the over- 
head cast and underhand cast are mastered, the 
angler should try what is called the steeple cast, 
which is sending the 

line as high in the air ^^^^^^ ^^\P 

as possible when mak- ^ 
ing the backward cast, 
the forward cast being ypr 
made as before; by a 
this means a very long Curve followed by rod-point in 
,. u 4- 4. speycast. 

Ime can be got out, 

and the line is not so likely to catch impediments 
behind the angler. There is still another method 
called the switch or spey cast, most 
useful where, owing to high banks or 
trees, the line cannot be extended at all behind 
the angler. 

It is necessary to fish down stream. We are 
looking down the river with a rock behind us, our 
rod-point is rather low, pointing toward the fly, 
and our line is extended down stream. Suppose 
our rod-point is at A, we raise it smartly, follow- 
ing the curve shown to B, when our line will be 
off the water: then we depress it again to C and 
raise it to D, by which time the fly and a portion 
of the line will be touching the water almost at 
our feet; then we switch the rod forward sharply 
198 



How to Get them 

from D to E, and the line follows round in a curve, 
leaves the water, and rolls out down stream in 
front of us. The progress of the rod-point from 
A to D must be steady and rather quick than 
slow; but from D to E it can hardly be too quick. 
The angler, having acquired some proficiency 
in casting from his right side, should next prac- 
tise casting from his left side, still 
Cast holding his rod in his right hand; and 

if he can bring himself also to cast 
well with his left hand, he will find his accom- 
plishment most useful. 

In fishing a river, on all occasions cast the fly 
about a yard above where the trout are likely to be 
found, because, if on alighting it attracts their at- 
tention, there is much less chance of their discover- 
ing its artificial nature at that distance. For the 

same reason, if a trout rises at the natural 
Stream ^^'' throw bej^ond it, and in general it will 

meet the fly half-way. If a trout rises 
to the fly without taking it, cast again, and con- 
tinue doing so till it ceases to rise. A small trout 
will frequently rise four or five times in succession, 
but the large, well-conditioned fish are more 
wary; if they miss once they usually decline 
to return, however temptingly the fly is placed 
before them. The line must be so thrown that 
the flies will fall first upon the water, and as little 
of the line with it as possible. In fishing nooks, 
eddies, and still water, at the opposite side of the 
stream, if any of your line lights in the current, 
it is dragged down, and the flies no sooner touch 
199 



Fish and Fishing 

the water than they are drawn rapidly away in a 
most unnatural manner, and without giving the 
trout time to seize them should they feel inclined. 

In order to make the flies light first, consider- 
able force must be employed in casting; the rod 
must be kept well up. It is upon this point be- 
ginners fail. Their unavailing efforts to get the 
line well out are entirely owing to their allowing 
the point of their rod to go too far 
First ^^^^^ down, and to their stopping it too 
quickly, which makes the point re- 
coil, and stops the line in its forward motion. 
When the flies are just about alighting on the 
water, you should slightly raise the point of the 
rod; this checks the downward motion, and they 
fall more softly. 

Throw a long and light line when fishing down 

stream, so that the angler is not seen ; fishing up 

stream a long cast is not so neces- 

Dowif Stream ^^^7 because their tails face you. 

In contradistinction to the maxim 

of throwing a long line, never use a long line when 

a short one will answer the purpose. If too much 

line touches the water it is impossible to make the 

flies light first. A long line is also very difficult to 

cast neatly behind stones or under a bank. The 

greatest objection to it, however, 

§^?®.^ . . is its disadvantages in striking a 
Striking with , . ., ,. i • m ^ 

Short Line trout; it lies curved in the water, 

and when the angler strikes, it is 

some time before the flies move, and then without 

much force; with a shorter line, the least motion 

200 



How to Get Them 

of the hand moves the flies immediately. The 
nearer we are to our flies, the greater is the 
chance of hooking a trout when it rises. It is of 
greater importance to make the flics light softly 
in a natural manner, like an insect with out- 
spread, gauzy wings. 

To accomplish this and to throw with certainty 
to any spot desired requires great practice. Thin 
gut, the necessity of which I advocate so strongly, 
is exceedingly difficult to cast, as it has little weight 
to carry it forward; therefore beginners should 
use moderately strong gut at first, and as they 
improve in casting reduce its size. 

PLAYING TROUT 

Opinions differ as to whether a trout should be 
struck on rising, but my experience is to strike 
at once. When a trout takes the fly it shuts its 
mouth, and is therefore almost sure to 
bring the hook in contact with its closed 
jaws. It frequently happens that a trout on taking 
the fly, when left to do as it chooses, very quickly 
expels it from its mouth with considerable force; 
a trout on seizing an artificial fly is almost instan- 
taneously aware that it is a counterfeit and never 
attempts to swallow it, but very frequently lets it 
go before the angler has time to strike; so that it 

^ . , is of the utmost importance to strike 

Quickness . ,. , i , . • i 

immediately, and this is the reason 

why a quick eye and ready hand are considered 

the most necessary qualifications for a fly-fisher. 

201 



Fish and Fishing 

A trout first takes the fly, then makes the mo- 
tion which the anglers term a rise, and which con- 
sists of its turning to go down; the angler, there- 
fore, does not see the least break on the sur- 
face until the trout has either seized or missed the 
fly; so that he has already lost so much time, and 
should strike at once. Though it is impossible to 
strike too soon, it is quite possible to strike too 
hard. Striking should be done by a slight but 

,,, . . ». .. quick motion of the wrist, not the 
Wrist Motion ^ . , ... .. 

arm, and always m the same direc- 
tion as the rod is moving at the time. The effect 
will be more immediate at a moment of the utmost 
importance. It often happens in quick striking 
that the trout misses the fly; in that case it is 
pretty certain it will rise again, or others will take 
its place. If the hook has pricked it, that is the 
end; at least for that day it never rises, but stays 
below, even if the fly is changed. 

At the first heavy surge, if it is a large fish, make 
no attempt to check the reel, but have full command 
over it. At this moment I always place the butt of 
the rod in my left hand and take charge of the reel 
handle with my right hand, as I am able to reel 
in quicker. Many anglers will differ from me in 
this, preferring to hold the rod all the time in the 
right hand, and to reel with the left; either way will 
do. More strength is required to reel in than to 
H M D ri IT hold the rod. At all times keep the 

rod tip well up in the air and the 
line as taut as with safety can be. If the trout 
suddenly turns toward you, reel in as fast as 
202 



How to Get Them 

possible; don't attempt to ])ull the line in, so that 
it falls down in the water. It is sure to get entan- 
gled in the stones at the bottom or your move- 
ment will be retarded by getting the line round 
your feet. If the fish makes a sudden leap, lower 
the tip at the same time, about the same distance 
as the leap from the water; as it goes down again, 
at once have the tip up back in place. This move 
is important; if not done to a nicety the trout gets 
off, and the cast comes flying back toward you. 

A trout is sooner subdued if worked down 
stream. When a large trout is hooked, and it 
cannot be pulled on shore at once, pull it down 
stream, as the current is in the angler's favor and 
will choke the fish sooner. But keep the rod up 
to exhaust its fighting powers. Never let the line 
out far if it can be avoided. It is obvious that 
with a short line better command over the fish is 

attained. At no time let the line be 
Keej) Tight ^j^^j^. j^ j^ j^^ ^^^ ^j^^ ^^^^ j^ ^^^ 

securely fixed, but merely resting on 
some bone (a thing that frequently occurs) the trout 
will throw it out of its mouth. Should the trout 
be a large one and the cast of flies small, wade 
down stream, or better still, work toward the shore; 
then, walking swiftly, follow the fish till its fighting 
gets less and less. If the edge of the stream be 
unfavorable for beaching it, the hand net is the 
only sure way to land it. Reel up the line as far 
as possible, even up to the six-foot leader; then 
with the rod lead the fish toward the net, which 
always should face the trout; it should go in the 
203 



Fish and Fishing 

net head first, and then be swiftly hfted out of 
the water. 

I have lost many trout trying to basket them 
while standing in the stream. It is next to impos- 
sible to hold the rod and net, and at the same time 
get the fish out of the net, unhook it, and place it in 
the creel ; for that reason get ashore with the trout 
in the net, and lay the rod down to have freedom 
in unhooking. 

Before returning to fish, examine the cast, see 
that the flies are secure, and the gut in order and 
not tangled. 

As soon as the fish is unhooked, hold it tightly 
and rap it hard just over the eyes on stones or 
some hard substance, so that when placed in the 
creel it will not kick or move about after you 
have returned to fish. 



HOW TO GET THEM WITH LIVE BAIT 

TROUT AND CHARR 

Spinning and trolling are chiefly carried on in 

large lakes, where trout do not rise to the fly. The 

lake trout come to the surface very early in the 

spring, and the angler trolls for them on 

F^Mne ^^ ^^^^ *^^ *^P ^^ *^^ water, the fish tak- 
ing the lure viciously, but rarely jumping 
into the air. The proper tackle for surface troll- 
ing consists of a very light sinker, a twelve-thread 
cotton line, a No. 5 spoon from which is taken all 
the gang hooks and a single No. 8/0 hook substi- 
204 



ffS^WMM^M 




POPULAR BOTTOM FRESH-WATER FISH 



How to Get Them 

tuted, the latter to be attached to the lower end of 

the spoon by a snood six or eight inches long, a 

good multiplying reel, and an eight-ounce rod, not 

longer than nine feet. The bait should be a 

golden shiner or any other carp-like 

Surface figh; a large one of six or eight 

Fishing with . / -^ ^^ . . , • • . 

Minnow niches, it the trout run big, is most 

seducing to them. Many anglers 
do not use the spoon, relying upon the attractive- 
ness of the natural bait, though the revolving 




Shiner baited on St. Lawrence gang. 

wings of a bright spinner draw the attention of fish 
to the bait from a long distance ; when they reach 
it, they take the minnow voraciously, seldom 
striking at the spoon. 

The deep-water troll requires more elaborate 
tackle than that used in surface fishing. Attach 
a cone-shaped sinker to the end of the reel line, 

from three to sixteen ounces in 
TmUhie '^ weight, the size being dependent on 

the character of the bottom and the 
style of fishing preferred. Use a long or short line; 
if the bottom is jagged in shape, the line should be 
strong and the sinker comparatively small. The 
same holds good on smooth bottoms when fishing 
"slow and far off"; if you prefer fishing with a 
short line, the sinker must necessarily be heavy. 
205 



Fish and Fishing 

You will need no rod; the line held in the hand 

will enable you to be more sensitive to the slight- 
est touch of the lead on the bottom, 

Depth which you must feel, as your boat- 

man rows slowly and regularly 

along. If, however, you wish to use a rod, lay it 




Trolling rig for lake trout. 

down within reaching distance, holding the line, 
and when you feel the pluck of a fish, and fasten 
it well, take up the rod, being careful to keep the 
proper strain on the fish when lifting the rod. 
Three feet above the sinker attach a single or 
double-twisted leader (the average weight of fish 
that are feeding should determine its size) and 
206 



How to Get Them 



two other leaders placed above the first, from six 
to ten feet apart, the distance to be judged by the 
depth at y\ hich the lake trout are taking the bait. 
A gang of three hooks is usually placed at the end 
of each leader, but a lip hook and another larger 
are to be commended 
as more sportsman- 
like. Place swivels 
wherever needed, and 
let your sinker line be 
three feet long, and 
weaker than the reel 
line, so that in case of 
getting hooked among 
bottom rocks you will 
only lose the sinker. 
Bait with a large min- 
now as suggested in sur- 

^ ^. . face troll- 
Row Slowly . , 

ing, and 

above all things have 
the boatman row slowly 
along and with a ca- 

denced movement. The . , , 

Trolling ng for lake trout. 

secret ot success is 

proper speed, the right depth, and place. As a 
rule begin fishing late in the afternoon till dark. 
The best condition of water for capturing trout 
(of large size) is when there is just sufficient rain 
to raise the water slightly, and make it of an am- 
ber color. When a large flood occurs it scatters 
the trout too much, and they become gorged 
207 




Fish and Fishing 

with food of every description, and do not take 

bait so readily; so that more trout can be caught, 

as a rule, in clear water than after a heavy 

Water flood. If the water is only colored or 

slightly swollen, trout will be found in 

the same places as when it is clear, but when the 

water is high and dark-colored, it is of no use 

fishing the stream, as it is too rapid, and 

the trout are all congregated in the pools 

about the sides. In such circumstances fish 

the sides, fishing the side you are on straight 

up and as close to the edge as possible, and the 

opposite side partly across and partly up, as usual. 

The greatest number will be frequently 

Sides ^ §^* ^^ *^^ *^^^^ ^^*^^' ^^* ^^^ largest and 
best trout are almost invariably caught 
on the deep side and very close to the edge. Let 
the worm sink, and allow the current to work it 
about, close to the bottom. When the angler 
chances on a spot where trout are plentiful, he 
should remain there, casting in different parts of 
the pool. The largest fish in the river are often 
taken with worms during a spate. 

Worming in clear water is carried on when riv- 
ers are at their lowest and brightest; in hot months, 
when fly-fishing, except at night, is next to use- 

^. .. less. For this method the fly-rod. 
Worni=Fishing . , , i i 

and reel may be used, the gut- 
cast at least nine feet long. Some anglers use a 
three-hook tackle, some prefer two hooks, and some 
declare a single hook is far the best ; of the latter I 
prefer that shown in cut. For the preparation and 
208 



How to Get Them 



variety of worms, see " How to Get Them on the 
Worm." If wading, cast up stream; make a bold 
sweep of the rod without jerking the worm off the 
hooks. When the worm touches the water, the 
rod-point should be slowly raised (faster if 
the stream is swift-running), till the worm 
is carried by the stream within a yard of the angler; 
then bring it out of the water with a back sweep of 
the rod. Keep as little 
line in the water as pos-* 
sible, and watch the line 
carefully, for the only 
evidence of a bite is the 
stoppage of the line. 
Endeavor to lead the 
worm round large bowl- 
ders, especially on the 
shady side of them, for 
there, to escape the 
hot sun, lie most of the 
large fish during the day, generally off feed. 
Keep as much out of sight as possible; if they 
see you they will not take the bait, but 
of^sight" ^^^ there till you nearly tread on them, 
when they suddenly dart off. 
Worm-fishing in lakes or ponds is rarely prac- 
tised as it is the least interesting in such waters. 
It is most successfully practised from the shore, 
wading, if feasible, and casting out as far as pos- 
sible. The best time is in the morning, and bet- 
ter, if there is a breeze rippling the surface. When 
any river which enters the lake is in full flood, 
209 





Single hook. 



Double hook. 



Fish and Fishing 

large trout may be captured just outside of the 
place where the muddy water becomes mixed with 

that of the lake. The use of a boat 
inT!^akes^ is advisable, and the angler then can 

row around, throwing his bait into the 

stream, which will drive the bait toward him in 

clearer water. Trout congregate about the 

mouth of a stream to get the food which it brings 

down. 

Minnow fishing requires the exercise of much 

presence of mind. A large trout makes a glorious 

rush at a minnow, and it requires both skill and 

coolness in order to secure it. Like 
Minnows , i i <• t • n i 

other methods ot anglmg, mmnow rish- 

ing in discolored water is comparatively easy, but 
when the streams are clear, to fish successfully with 
the minnow, particularly in small waters, requires 
great dexterity and is one of the most difficult opera- 
tions of angling. The largest trout taken by the 

rod are usually caught with the 
Trout ^^^^ minnow. Trout accustomed to prey 

upon their neighbors usually attain 
a great size, and are more likely to take a minnow 
than anything else. A minnow measuring about 
an inch and three-quarters, tail inclusive, is the 
size for trout, at all seasons, in running water. 
A large trout will take a small minnow as readily 
as a large one, a middle-sized trout more so, and 
a small trout which could not take a large min- 
now will take a small one. When the water is 
low and clear it cannot be too small, if it turn the 
swivels. A large minnow spins in a clumsy, un- 
210 




Two-hook minnow spinner. 



How to Get Them 

sightly manner, only inviting when the waters are 
flooded. Trout can also get hold of a small min- 
now much more easily, so the angler has a much 
better chance of hooking them. With regard to 
the number of hooks of which minnow tackle 
should consist great diversity of opinion exists, 
but two hooks with a drag behind will kill as 
many fish as any other combination. The follow- 
ing cut shows the 
minnow tackle. 

In baiting take 
the large hook, 
and, entering the 
point at the 
mouth of the 
minnow, run it 
right through the body and bring it out about a 
quarter of an inch from the tail, leaving 
Bakinfi: ^^^^ minnow as nearly as possible in the 
curve shown in cut. The object of the 
curved form is to have it turn round when drawn 
against the stream. The upper hook is then 
stuck through the lips. The angler should, be- 
fore fishing, draw it through the water to see if it 
spins properly. Two swivels should be used to pre- 
vent the line twisting, and split shots Nos. 2 or 3 
should be placed above the first swivel, about 
two feet above the hook, the second, a 

Water"* y^^^ ^^^^^^^^ ^P- ^he mode of fishing 

flooded water is to throw the minnow 

across the stream, and work it gradually around, 

pulling it up from the water a foot or so, then let- 

211 



Fish and Fishing 

ting it fall back again, and so on, till it conies 
round to the side on which the angler is standing. 

It should be subjected to every variety of mo- 
tion, one cast drawn steadily against the stream, 
and the next with short jerks across it. Great 
care should be taken not to lift the minnow out of 
the water till it is quite close to the edge, as trout 
frequently follow it. When a trout has taken the 
minnow, slacken the line for a moment or two to 
allow it to get fairly in its mouth. Then the angler 
should strike firmly. 

Trouting with the minnow when the waters are 
clear is much more difficult. If the water is deep, 
the minnow should be well sunk, as it spins better. 
In large streams the necks of pools, rapid broken 
water, detached currents, and smooth and strong 
water at the foot of pools are in general the best 
places. In small, clear streams it is 
Water^*^ better to dispense with the sinker, as it 
drags the minnow to the bottom and 
splashes too much, and the most likely places for 
success are where the stream runs beneath a bank. 
The method of casting is the same as in rough 
water, but keep the rod perfectly still and remain 
stationary while fishing each spot. 

ON THE WORM 

Fishing with a worm is not held in such high 

estimation as it deserves, a circumstance entirely 

due to its being but very imperfectly understood. 

Fly-fishers are apt to sneer at worm-fishing as a 

212 



How to Get Them 

thing so simple that any one may succeed in it. 
Yet a Hve worm is the most effective, deadly, all- 
round bait available; for all the fish that swim, 
either in fresh or salt water, from the plebeian and 
lowly catfish to the lordly salmon, at all seasons, 
daytime or night time, it is resistless, and bound 
to be seized with avidity, especially if properly 
impaled on a hook which is of the right size. Nat- 
ure's bountiful provision of an inex- 
n^^Hl* ^ haustible supply makes the worm a 
Provision poor man's friend. No matter where 
he digs in suitable soil, a few minutes 
will suffice to amply supply him with all that is 
needed to capture and provide a mess of fish for 
himself and his family. With the aid of a small 
hook and some fine line, costing a few cents, 
when used with care and judgment, he will 
be as successful as the rich man with ex- 
pensive tackle and fly book. Of course, the 
highest art in worm-fishing is that practised 
by salmon and trout anglers, not the ever-present 
worm plugger of mountain brooks, but the ex- 
pert, who captures the wary trout in low and 
clear water during June and July. One advan- 
tage it possesses over the fly is the superior size of 
the trout caught. It is just as important that the 
bait be properly prepared, that the angler may 
succeed in landing more fish of larger size. In using 
worms for chub, dace, perch and wall-eye, and 
sunfish, there is a great advantage in having them 
well scoured and of proper size. There are four 
kinds of worms most esteemed by anglers. The 
213 



Fish and Fishing 

black-headed worm, found in good garden soil, 
is free from the knot which most worms have, and 

is rather dark in color. It is the most 
of^Wonris durable of all worms. Then there 

is the brantling, found in old dung- 
hills or similar places. It may be known by its 
rings, with a knot a little above the middle, 
and it is somewhat flat. One objection to it 
is its extreme softness. It is incapable of being 
toughened. The marsh worm, when taken from 
the earth, is of a pale-blue color with a whit- 
ish knot a little above the centre. It is a very 
small worm, and when kept long enough be- 
comes a lively pink color and most killing for 
dace, sunfish, and chub. It is the most plentiful, 
and may be found in any garden among heaps of 
decayed rubbish or leaves, and below stones. The 
red-headed worm is only found plentifully in the 
very richest soil about the edge of dunghills. It 
is thick in proportion to its length, and is a dark- 
red color down the back, pale blue underneath. 
It is not so good as those before mentioned be- 
cause it soon loses color after being a short time 
in the water. It is best suited for perch, wall-eye, 
and eels. A small, bright, clear worm is always 
more enticing than a large, thick worm. It is a 
great error to suppose that a large, thick worm 
insures the capture of large-sized 
fh^^Best^*^"** fish; it is quite the reverse, as a 
large worm will seldom capture 
anything but some audacious little fellow. When 
worms are newly dug they are so full of earth as to 
214 



How to Get Them 

be unfit for use. Brantlings may be scoured in a 
day or two, but the other kinds require to be kept 
at least a week. Immediately on being dug they 
should be w^ell washed in clear water and placed 
in an earthern-ware jar with plenty of moss. The 
moss should be well washed and wrung as dry 
as possible, and all the sticks and straws picked 
out, as they are apt to cut the worms. The jar 
should be examined every second or third day, 
and all the dead or sickly worms removed, the 
moss changed, and a few small pieces of bread 
and a spoonful of milk put on the moss for their 
nourishment. The process of toughening worms 
can only be accomplished by keeping the moss 
dry, so that the worms may lose some of the moist- 
ure of their bodies and thus become 
Moss *" tough and more durable. Of course, if 
carried to any great extent it impairs 
their vitality, which gives them a withered look. 
When thoroughly divested of earthy matter 
worms can more easily be baited and will last 
quite a long time alive for the purpose needed. It 
is important that the worm jar should be kept 
always in a cool place. For eels and catfish there 
is no need to use scoured worms, but for chub, 
dace, trout, wall-eye, sunfish, perch, the two latter 
especially, they are of great value, and it is also 
well to choose the right kind of a Avorm. The red- 
headed worm is best for perch and wall-eye. The 
brantling is better for chub, dace, and sunfish. 

When impaling the worm on the hook, it is not 
necessary to pierce the hook through the middle 
215 



Fish and Fishing 

of the body, but it can be, and is, quite sufficient 
to hook it just through the skin; it will hold if 
the barb is sharp. In that way the 
VVorms^ worm can act much more lively while 
in the water. It is the lively kicking 
movement that most attracts the fish. A dead 
worm is of no value to tempt a fish. Be careful 
to remove little bits of white remnants of previous 
worms. They should never be left on the hook. 
No scouring is needed for the 
sand and blood worms for salt- 
water fishing, but they should 
be kept at no higher tempera- 
ture than their natural element 
of mud or sand. They are 
kept longer in sea leaves or 
weeds, just kept damp and 
cool; the sea-weed contains suffi- 

biood worm for salt- cient salt to retain their fresh- 
water fishing. j^^gg ^^^^^ j^^^^j ^^g^ g^j^_ 

water anglers put the hook right through the 
middle of the body, and so let out all the blood, 
which, of course, takes life away with it, and all 
that remains is a white piece of tape on the hook, 

not nearly so attractive as the natural. 
Worms wriggling worm. Any fish whose mouth 

is large enough to take a blood worm 
takes the hook right in its mouth, so that it is 
much better if the worm is hooked by the skin, 
first at one end, then in the middle, also at the 
other end; by this means the worm lives, acts in 
a natural manner, and is more attractive to the 
216 




How to Get Them 

fish, drawing them to tlie bait much sooner, and 
enticing them to take it with greater avidity. 
Blood and sand worms are (juite long enough to 
allow at least an inch of each end to hang down 
and wriggle. 

There is one disadvantage in hooking them by 
the skin because smaller kinds than those fished 
for are apt more easily to tear the bait 
Them"^ off and so get away with it; but I find 
that this happens less often than might 
be supposed, for the larger fish drive small ones 
away when they see a kicking worm. 

When no other bait is available, the large night 
walker is very effective in running water just 
before dark, both for bass and pickerel. It should 
be hooked by the skin and allowed free play, 
wriggling as it runs with the water, behind rocks 
and stumps. It is also just as deadly with the 
salmon, but for the latter a few shot put on the 
leader to keep it below the surface will be need- 
ful. For big trout, lying low in deep 
Walkers pools, more particularly the brown 
trout, the worm should be sunk to the 
bottom; it is sure to be taken quick, if the worm is 
actively alive. Of course, suckers, eels, and other 
vermin are liable to take it, if left in one position 
for any length of time. To prevent such annoy- 
ance, keep it moving, a yard or so every few sec- 
onds, not so violently as to scare the fish. 

In mountain brooks, where fish are rarely over 
ten inches long, the smallest hook and the small- 
est worms should only be put in use, and only one 
217 



Fish and Fishing 

worm at a time. There are often difficult eddies 
where the worm cannot be placed because of 
overhanging trees or side bushes. To obviate 
such difficulty, take hold of the hook shank with 
about the desired length of line out, and hold 
the rod out, then let go the hook shank and the 
force of the bended tip will flirt the worm to the 

desired spot. After a little practice in 
FliDpiiiff worm flipping' the angler can expertly 

place the bait within an inch of any spot 
required. Many little round spots of foam are 
formed by the eddying swirls, mostly in places 
impossible to get at except by this method of 
flirting the bent rod. I use it often with advan- 
tage in fly-fishing by just holding the end fly and 
flipping it to places that could not be reached in 
any other way. 



218 



CHAPTER VII 

When to Get Them 
TIME OF DAY 

In regard to the best time of day for angling, 
a great deal depends upon the temperature of the 
water, the season of the year, and the kind of day; 
though as a rule, fish are sluggish and off their 
feed during the middle of the day. Only for bait 
fishing are the very early morning hours good; on 
small streams, about sunrise is often the best hour 
for trout, bass, and pike. On large streams and 
lakes nothing is gained by early fishing, 

Morninff ^^ *^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^* ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ 
is several hours high. This question of 

early hours has long been misunderstood. It is 
better to wait till the sun is up, for most fish feed 
all through the night. Predaceous fishes are more 
active during the night, while the smaller fishes, 
minnows, etc., are more active during the day, 
keeping in very shallow water during the night 
to avoid being swallowed by their larger conge- 
ners. 

In the first part of the season of salmon fishing 
219 



Fish and Fishing 

any time of day is good except early morning; tak- 
ing it all round, from 5 p.m. till dark is better 
than all the rest of the day. Worm-fishing for 
trout is good from two hours after sunrise till 
dark, and after dark, in the early season. The 
same can be said of fly-fishing. On cloudy days 
the middle of the day is best, especially on large 
lakes and rivers. On hot midsummer 
days the middle of the day is poor for 
bass, trout, or pike, but good early and late in 
the season, when the water is still cold. In fly- 
fishing for trout or bass, the best time to fish 
is when the natural flies get on the water; this 
often depends on wind and weather; a quiet, 
warm morning, from 8 a.m. to 11, is generally 
sure sport all through the season. This time is 
excellent, after a night's hard rain, when the morn- 
ing clears warm and quiet, on a lake; also on run- 
ning streams if not in flood. At such times, 
many kinds of fish, usually staying on the bot- 
tom, rise to the surface. If I wanted to rest, I 
should choose the time from 2 p.m. till 5. For 
mascalonge and pike-fishing, those hours would 
be my choice, or for trolling with spoon or bait, 
either in the early or later season, in lake-fishing. 
In trolling for lake trout, with spoon or min- 
nows, I should prefer the afternoon 
to any part of the day. The best 
part of the day for fly-fishing is a little before 
sundown till dark. This applies in particular 
to the hot days of July and August. When 
the rivers are very low and clear, trout and bass 
220 



When to Get Them 

are lying behind a shaded rock, in deep holes, 
till the setting of the sun; then all of a sudden 
sometimes half an hour after sunset or a little 
longer, when it is just getting dusk, the fish rise 
up in all directions, the surface of the water being 
a mass of flies on the wing. Then the angler has 
work before him, and the advantages all in his 
favor; no sun to cast his shadow on the water, 
not too much light for the fish to distinguish the 
artificial nature of the flies, and the fish hungry, 
ready and willing to take the lure. If I have no 
luck during the day, it's a pretty sure 
thing to get a full creel from sunset until 
dark, or when a nearly full moon is up. 

If no moon is up fishing after dark is not favor- 
able; the flies are cast without any chance of 
seeing the result; sometimes the leader and flies 
get entangled unknown to the angler, who goes 
on casting in ignorance of such trouble. Then 
the landing of a fish is much more difficult in 
pitch dark; better to leave off for the morrow as 
the fish will stay there. Bait-fishing is another 
matter, and can be handled with more comfort. 
Still -fishing for more common fishes like eels, 
perch, wall-eye pike, and catfish, is more 
productive of success at night than any 
part of the day, those mentioned being mostly 
nocturnal fishes. In fact, people suffering from 
insomnia might do worse than spend the night 
still-fishing on a quiet lake; the time would pass 
most agreeably. Taking the hook from an eel, in 
the dark, is a lively proposition. 
221 



Fish and Fishing 



BEST SEASON 



In the regions of frost and snow there is Httle 
or no fishing during the winter, except through 
the ice, a practice common on the large lakes. 
Outside of that, the earliest fish caught is the 
brook trout. The date of the opening of season 
varies from April first to May first. Far South, in 
the Gulf States, fishing may be in- 
Season^^* dulged in through the winter months, 
yet the spring, March, April, and 
May, is the best time of the year, both on Flor- 
ida and California coasts. The big game fish 
come in from deep water from April to June. 
Black sea-bass first appear in April, the tuna in 
May, yellow- tail in April. The tarpon first ap- 
pear on the Florida coast in February and in in- 
creasing numbers in March, April, and May. In 
the vicinity of New York anglers go out for floun- 
ders as early as February, its bigger relative, the 
plaice not arriving till the middle of May. From 
that time on the various game fish ap- 
Se^son^ pear along the coast in rapid succes- 
sion. The striped bass follow after the 
shad; then the weakfish and blue-fish, so that 
by the middle of June, the season is well under 
way both in salt water and fresh. 
Belt^ ^'^^'''^ Next in order to the brook trout 
comes the opening season for pike, 
pickerel, and pike perch, which is May 1 in 
New York State, May 20 in New Jersey. The 
'222 



When to Get Them 

opening season in Pennsylvania is the 15th of 
June for pike, pickerel, mascalonge, and black 
bass. The same date holds good for bass in New 
York and New Jersey. 

Certainly the best time to go for speckled trout 
in small mountain brooks is as soon as possible 
after the law permits, if the weather is favorable. 
The biggest fish and greatest numbers are taken 
early; the brooks are full of water; worms, flies, 
and all kinds of food are available so soon as the 
warm spring comes; it is then the fish are raven- 
ous, full of life and gaminess, more so than at 
any later season. When the season advances 
food becomes so plentiful that the fish respond 
more tardily. In larger rivers all species of trout 
are later in taking the fly or bait. The open 
water is cold, and unless the air is warm and 
balmy they won't come to the surface. I have 

often made the mistake of fishing 
Later '* large, open rivers in the first of the 

season, and got poor results, both on 
the worm and fly. The best indication that the 
fish are ready is when flies are seen fluttering 
on the surface. This depends entirely upon the 
season, a few warm days in May bring out the 
flies on the surface. The season I consider best 
for trout fishing in streams forty to one hundred 
feet wide is from the first of May to the first of 
June, paying the exclusive attention to small 
brooks or mountain streams from the opening day 
to the first of May. This applies to New York, 
New Jersey, Pennsylvania; in more northern 
223 



Fish and Fishing 

States, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and 
Canada, a week or two later is plenty early enough. 
Mountain brooks run low after May 15th, and 
the larger fish go down to the rivers, if not caught 
by that time; though a few stay in deep holes, 
affording chances to capture them later in the 
season after a flood. 

Going back to the marine fishes, laws do not 
govern dates of capture; their arrival is soon 
known. Different species come in different ways ; 
sometimes the biggest are first-comers, other times 
it is the reverse, though the former 
Sea' Hshinff ^^ most usual. Bottom feeders seem 
to arrive ahead of surface feeders, 
the latter being always more numerous, and in- 
variably in vast shoals and mostly of a given size. 
As the season advances the quantity grows. Weak- 
fishing begins in June and is better in July. Blue- 
fishing is good in July and August. Striped bass 
fishing is not so good early as in the fall. Fluke 
is best in July and August; each and all straggle 
on earlier or later. 

For pike, pickerel, mascalonge, and bass, the 
early season is better than the summer, but no 
better than the fall; not as good as the late fall. 
Pike and pickerel are more ravenous early in the 
season, taking spoon baits readily, and are cer- 
tainly less wary than during the hot months. 
Perch and pike perch also take the lure better 
early in the season. For bass-fishing there is no 
choice between early or late season; much de- 
pends on many conditions that are always uncer- 
224 



When to Get Them 

tain. The glorious uncertainty attending the 
biting of fish is a prominent feature of sahnon 
fishing. The runs are so much dependent on the 
height of water, cloudy days, and many other 
mysterious features, that it would be difficult to 
say what is the best season for salmon. 

CI - «/ 

SeasoiT -^^ ^^^ majority of rivers the first run is 
composed of large females that arrive 
about the middle of May, very rarely taking the 
fly until they are well up the rivers. Most salmon 
anglers therefore like to be on the ground early 
in the hope of landing large fish. Every succeed- 
ing run is of smaller fish. The Canadian leap- 
ing salmon is, from every standpoint, best caught 
early in the season; from June 15th (like the 
trout) it is more plentiful and more gamy. In 
short, the best time of season is influenced mostly, 
if not entirely, by the plentiful supply of surface 
food, brought forth directly under the influence 
of the warm weather, after the long cold of win- 
ter. The greater part of the food of fish, such 
as insects, worms, caterpillars, and their like, 
has lain dormant throughout the cold months, 
to again move more actively as the sun gives its 
warmth; accordingly, the fish feed without stint as 

the summer advances to hot weather. 
Weather ^ i^hi^^g is in a measure curtailed ; food is 

overabundant, they become satiated, 
feeding at night, lying still during the noonday 
hours. As the fall approaches, toward the ad- 
vance of cold weather, they again become active 
in search of food, and rise to the lures with avidity. 
225 







1 

rr. 


-^ be 


fnS, 


powerful 
—cunning 
quick 


1^3 










T,J 












bo o 


r 


be t-H "^ 


t« f a 

be i'^ 

II 




^ 




















. 








H 
< 




2S 


o 

<1 


Is. 

II 


si 
si 

-1 


2" 


^ 














O 




H 


3 


i2 
be 










<! 


C 


. OS 


•r 73 . 


C 

1 
1 


Pi 




S 


S 


-1 ^ 


5 S.^ 
3 


o 


^2- 

o o d 


bD 

3f 


=* 1 -O 


s 


C53 9 0) 


w5 
Ah 

g 

m 

o 

« 
H 

O 

o 
w 


^ 

p 


E|2 




<i 


^ «« 


2 


o ^ 

Ph 


CO *^ 




be 


S g g 

IP 


ffl 


"1 


if 

•So. 


CO o 


o.S§ 


ill 
111 








M 
































X) 




•S 








o 


S2 


■s 

a 


•m 








cc 


3 


5o 


s 


0) 







&JD 




t* 


br 


^ 


^ 


ic 


_C 


1 


c 




s 


s^ 


.S OT 




>> 




2 


rt 


'it 


11 


3 


It 

^ si 


a 


P. 


cS 


3 D, 

il 

9 o 


T3 

■a 


03 

be 
C 


c3 

bjD 
3 
•5d 


3 




o 


s* 


'% 


bx 


be 


E 



Ph 


3 


m 


3 
H 


H 























— ^ > 








2^ 






•C o 


jj! 







!5 

>. o 
3t5 


5| 


11 


o o 


II 

3 "5 


2< 


-1 


^O 


^O 


0) o 




-50 


cS 








faO 






T3 -^ 


c 


X5 


^S 


S S! S c 
" o o o 




■O fcH 


1" 

cata 


<v 


o; O 




dx:* 


3 CU 


"§1 


.5 03 jO 


c ^ 3 

|si 


ill 


6-^ 


0) 




si 


11^- 


«2^ 


0^ 


si 


- CO 

II 


II 

-^ si 






ili 


CO 


P 


<% 


^1 


■5 o oj 

il2 


E 


^r: 


5^ 


it rod, 
n line, 
n leader, 
nker 


ii:- 


il 


o 


^1 


III 

.t^ 3 d 


3 C a; 

^ ^ 3 


Bai 

line 

salmo: 

si 




03 fl 


^ C-S 


S a 


3 JiM 


02 t- — 


o 


2 


tc 


^B 


. ??-o 


-o 


T3 


is 

c3 3 


_5'0 


j3 OT 


3 


andy bot 

ms in baj 

I surf an 

ocean 


is 


o "^ 


0^^ 

1^" 


i! 




02 O.S 


pq 


m 


^S 


^^ 


m c 


pq 




1 
m 

1 

c 


la 




tD 


i 




^ 
p 




o 





"S 


■2 




Si 


-^ 






(U 





s 


O 


pq 


E 


^ 


CQ 






227 









A tJD 




ii '^ 










cc 


i| 


o,^ 


1? 


^? a 


1 

>> 






S 






da 

^1 


^1 










3 ^ 


^^ 


tC £ 


2 S 


< 




H 
H 

< 




II 

O (J 

Ph ^ 


p 


>5 ^;- 

II 


^2 




^ 




























w 
















§ 


^ 


^"-H 




ic o 

rH CO 


I2S 


-g 






i 


II 






1^ 


>5 . 

c3 bo 

^5 
















t: 


o 






















M 




cS 


^ 






£ 


C cc <1> 


S ^ 


w 


xi 








m ^ 


tl o 


Eg 


s 




P5 




III 

eg 


III 
III 


ill 

1"^ >-l 




< 






ti 


fe bi 


^ i2 


bjD 














u 


0^ 


< 
Q 
fa 
O 


J! 


^3 
X2 


op 


-a s 


.-H " 


II 


< 

Ph 


S 
S 


GO'S 


<3- 




5X) 




2 






Hi 


O 




g^S'oJ 


1^ 
h3 


*^ a; a; 

1=1 


•73 G OT 

2=S3 

^1" 




2i 


Ph 


2 

S 


^ "S 2 
S 






O 




is 


b£OtC 


^2 




w 
















5z; 


H 


II 


Is 


Is 

- 03 








% 


5 




1"^ 


CO 




O c« 




02 






















3 
O 


*- 










o 

S 


'S 
c 

o 






be 

1 



II 




be 
o 
13 


3 


0) 






rong, powerful s 
jumper — plays 
and long 


c _ 

If 




T3 
O 


>> 

S 

c3 


C3 
^ 3 






t£ 


o 




^ 


^ 1 


cu 


fe 








»0,-l 


lO rH 






^ t3 


^-'^ 


I-. "o 


'"' 


""• 


., j:: 




ri d 


c3 C! 


cd C! 


(D O 






S d 




<U 3 


3Q 


l« 


>^o 


>^o 


>HO 


3 2i i 

ill 


O t« 


o c .2 


J 2 




w O 




.^ 




-M 










5| 


1^2 




111 


3 




•a -2 


^Ou, 


w 


■* 










^ bo 


II 


111 

3^1 


I'll 




So.-" 




ill 


111 


4 






>> 


^■s 


1|^ 




11 


If 


lei 


i1 


„ 


s 












.^ 






1 


x: 


CO 




o 


a; JS 


p; 


o 








1 




03 


^ 


5 


^ 



Fish and Fishing 

Bass are particularly ravenous in September 
and October; so are the pike family. Many 
of the trout and charr are about spawning. 
The season in temperate regions closes at or 
about the end of August. Many anglers consider 
October and November the best time for masca- 
longe, which take live or artificial minnow best 
late in the season. It is difficult to 
Spawning ^^^ which is the most agreeable, fish- 
ing late in the fall for bass and pike, 
when the trees are covered with red and gold, or 
early in the spring, when budding out in pale green, 
to catch the trout or salmon with fly or worm. 
For my own part I like to have a fling at both. 

Meanwhile deep-sea angling goes merrily on. 

Weakfishing ends in October, blue-fishing in 

November; surf-fishing for striped bass is popular 

till the frost nips the fingers. The true angler is 

constant to his hobby, and patiently 

stays while the fish last and are 

found willing. It is impossible to give exactly the 

best time of the season for different fish, but as 

near as can be, a partial list would be: Salmon 

and trout in May, weakfish, blue-fish, pike, and 

pickerel in June, bass and perch in 

/Vlonth ^ J^ly» niascalonge in August, striped 

bass in September, pike and pickerel 

again in October, mascalonge again in November. 

December is a good month to clean and put by 

tackle for a short rest over Christmas, to be again 

on deck for a Southern trip in February to the 

splendid fishing grounds around the Florida coast, 

230 



When to Get Them 

till the end of March. Then the month of April 
could be well spent on the California coast 
for yellow-tail or black sea-})ass, making the 
round of days complete by returning to temperate 
climates for the speckled beauties in May. Few 

there are able or willing to follow out 
Season *^^^ ^^^^ year; others bless their stars if 

they can get a two-weeks' trip out of 
the year. Each angler, I suppose, has his favorite 
season and favorite fish. 

Some the lordly salmon praise, 
And some the lusty trout, 

To many men are many ways 
Of fishing, without doubt. 

I have tried them all, but give me the month of 
May, toward the end of it, just when the yellow 
pussy-willows are fading and the leaves a little past 
the bud. Dr. Henry van Dyke covers the point 
beautifully when he says: 

Only an idle little stream 

Whose amber waters softly gleam. 

Where I may wade, through woodland shade. 
And cast the fly, and loaf, and dream. 



OPEN AND CLOSED SEASON 

There are abundant fishes and plenty of good 
fishing in American waters, notwithstanding the 
ever-increasing army of anglers. There are laws 
231 



Fish and Fishing 

that restrict the catch of fresh- water fish, and 
from a broad and general standpoint the laws are, 
in a way, decently obeyed. It is only the loafer and 
tramp who go fishing out of season. It is not the 
average angler who fishes out of season, nor is he 
a pot hunter. He wants his share, as all do. He 
sometimes wants to possess a little glory over his 
fellows by landing a bigger fish or a greater number 
than others, and though he tries 
vainly to hide the secret satisfac- 
tion, it oozes out at all points and places. Fortu- 
nate indeed it is that the many game fish do not 
spawn at the same season; the sport is divided 
up into very agreeable seasons both for the 
nature lover and honest angler. Most fish will not 
bite just before and during the spawning season. 
The spawning fish would be captured all the 
same, by hook or by crook, the latter in the shape 
of a snare, if the law did not interfere. We have 
fish and plenty of them because we have laws and 
keep them, so far as the closed season goes. 

The lesser and minor laws, such as those on net- 
ting, pollution, dynamiting, and snaring, are of 
little consequence unless enforced on a large scale 
against poisoning rivers and breeding places by 
large acid factories. This the State can and will 
reform. We will use the trout in brooks or rivers 
as an instance. Ninety per cent, of these waters 
have been stocked by the State. A 
fair estimate of the fish caught by 
every method, during the season, would be 80 
per cent, of mature fish that are able to spawn, 
232 



When to Get Them 

the remaining 20 per cent. rei)opulating the de- 
pleted streams. A trout five or six inehes long 
caught in May, and returned to the water as under 
legal size, if not again caught, would double its 
length within a year; sometimes under favorable 
conditions it will attain a length of fourteen inches. 
Such are the fish we hope to capture, and they 
are the direct result of the law compelling small 
fish to be returned to the water. 

Each State makes its own laws regarding the 
time and length of its closed season, guided no 
doubt by the temperature and time of spawning, 
so that it is quite possible for the ardent angler to 
go from State to State and fish the entire year — 
through summer and fall in the North, winter and 
spring in the South. Up to the present time 
marine fishing by rod and reel is unprotected, and 
it is not likely that laws will be needed to restrict 
the catch or time of catching. So vast is the 
ocean and its game so immense, that the small 

percentage caught by man by all the 
LawsT^" various devices known and practised 

plays but a small part in Nature's 
adjustment of its creatures. A striking ex- 
ample of the reverse is apparent in the lob- 
ster and also the salmon of the Pacific, both 
having been slaughtered by unreasonable tin- 
can packers, overgreedy, who soon found an end 
to their greed and are now propagating, or will 
soon have to, at their own expense. Had these 
same packers allowed but ten per cent, of the fish 
to perform their natural functions at the spawning 
233 



Fish and Fishing 

beds present conditions would be favorable to 
them. 

Some States are more severe than others, readily 
recognizing the value of game fish to the State, 
not only in the pleasure afforded to its citizens, 
but in money spent by visitors. The State of 
Maine, in particular, would find a difference if 
game and fish were not abundant. Fifty thou- 
sand people would spend the summer elsewhere. 
It is only a closed season on fish 

Cklred "season ^^^ g^°^^ ^^^^ produces the supply 
demanded. The great railroads 
are now taking considerable interest in fish and 
game sections along their lines, issuing elaborate 
booklets on the subject purposely to attract 
wielders of the rod and gun to spend vacations in 
districts well supplied with game. Such places 
cannot be maintained without a closed season to 
replenish the ravages made in various ways. 

The State of New Jersey has a minor law for- 
bidding certain fishes to be taken at night. To be 
exact: "Fishing between 9 p.m. and daylight is 
prohibited for trout, bass, pike, pickerel and pike 
perch." This law may not be kept, but its moral 
effect is good. Decent people will not intention- 
ally break the law. Anglers as a body, that is, 
ninety-nine out of one hundred, will consider the 

law principally made for their special 
Fifhine benefit, and I find they usually act upon 

it. This night law is aimed at worm- 
fishing for trout and by set lines in minnow fishing 
for bass and pike; both are deadly modes, for 
234 



When to Get Them 

many fish are caught after dark by these methods. 
This night law should be copied by many other 
States. At the same time comparatively few prac- 
tise night-fishing, but those who do land many 
fish and big ones too. Such a law would stop it. 
The trout season in New York, New Jersey, 
and Pennsylvania, from A})ril 15th to August 31st, 
and in many of the other States in the temper- 
ate zone, could be, with advantage, curtailed a 
month, the date being changed to the last of July. 
The bulk of the trout are caught by the end of 
June; few fish are caught in July or August, ex- 
cept those caught at the bottom of large lakes. 
But the law could be made to cover rapid streams 
and mountain brooks, which are often dried up 
in the month of August. 

The opening season, especially in mountainous 
regions, is too early. The first day of May would 
be better for the fish and for the angler. On the 
15th day of April the streams are so cold that fish- 
ing is a waste of time and energy. The perfect 
time for trout-fishing, in the above mentioned 
States, is from May 15th to June 15th, or from 

May 1st, if the season is mild. The 
tcnT Earfv ^P^^i^g ^^J ^^ Long Island is April 

1st, made so because the land lies 
low, the water being very free from ice and the 
air milder, at least two weeks, ahead of the high- 
lands. The 1st of April this year, was a warm 
day. I saw four varieties of natural flies on the 
water, and the trout took my artificial flies in 
splendid style. 

235 



Fish and Fishing 

In nearly all instances fish refuse to bite during 
spawning season in the ocean. Similar conditions 
are no doubt the same in fresh- water game fish. 
In trout-fishing, during the spring, I never hook a 
bass occupying the same water, but I get quite a 
few bass on trout rig after the season opens on 
June 16th; on the St. Lawrence the date is June 
10th, on Lake George and Schroon Lake, as late 
as August 1st. These varying dates are due to the 
difference in the temperature of the water and 
lateness in spawning. 

The closed season is not so much for the angler 

as the net fishermen who make a business of 

selling fish. Many of these are highly respectable 

men who are as anxious as anybody 

F^hermen *^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^^ obeyed; others of a 
different mould, like the shad fisher- 
men on the Hudson, when they net a salmon in 
the shad nets, prefer to keep it instead of return- 
ing it to the water, as the law requires. 

BEST KIND OF WEATHER 

The weather has a most important bearing in 
the catching of fish. The most disagreeable are 
windy days. A perfect day for fishing may be 
described as a warm, pleasant day, with a balmy, 
invigorating breeze, a mellow sun- 
light, not too bright, produced by 
a somewhat hazy atmosphere, or by drifting 
clouds, when the season has been neither too wet 
nor too dry. The worst day for fishing is either 
236 



When to Get Them 

a cold north or east wind, especially when against 
the direction you are casting the flies on a run- 
ning stream; or, again, the same wind blowing 
hard across a lake is equally disagreeable for troll- 
ing or still-fishing. A good windy 
day is when the wind blows gently 
from the south, rippling up the water in little wave- 
lets, destroying the placid, even surface and hid- 
ing the angler from the fish. It is then, if the 
weather be warm, that trout, bass, perch, and even 
pike perch, may be coaxed up to take the fly ; it is 
favorable for trolling with bait or spoon, either for 
pike or mascalonge. Rippling water seems to have 
the eff'ect of hiding the line, as it also helps to 
deceive the fish as to the nature of the artificial fly. 
After a hot spell when fish have not been bit- 
ing, a shower or a good smart rain of a few hours 
will have an immediate effect for the good of the 
angler. The fish will not only rise better to the 
fly, but will also take the worm. The reason is 
obvious. After a clearing up, flies may be seen 
all over the water, and rising fish popping in all 
directions; if the w^ater has not become muddy, 
numerous worms, caterpillars and in- 
sects are washed down, placing food 
before them in plenty, and a wriggling worm, 
deftly hiding the hook, never fails to be taken with 
a rush. After a freshet, when the water clears 
sufficiently for trout to see worms or flies, the 
angler will find his creel rapidly filling up. High 
water is always a better condition than low water, 
no matter what time of day or season. I consider 
237 



Fish and Fishing 

water just cleared and going down after a 
freshet the best either for fly-fishing or bait, and 
I think this applies to nearly all fish, in brooks, 
rivers, or lakes. In brooks, swollen by rain, the 
fish have a wider field to forage, with a chance to 
dart across when they see a lure; and in rivers 
they move from their favorite haunt, prospecting 
and going in search of anything that is washed 
above them. In lakes they rise to the surface to 
feel lower temperature, which a plentiful supply 
of rain gives to the surface, and so take the bait if 
offered. Calm, hot, and dry weather make 
the worst conditions for the angler to 
contend with, because the river gets so 
low and water so warm that the fish refuse to leave 
cool, sheltered holes, where they hide from the hot 
sun's rays. I was fishing this season on a stream, 
using the finest flies and gut without success. In 
wading down the shady side near the shore, I con- 
stantly saw nice, large fish dart from under large 
bowlders; and even from the very edge of the grassy 
borders of the stream they would rush off suddenly 
toward the middle. Possibly they were taking an 
afternoon nap or rest, for surely they were not 
taking any flies. I fished the same stretch after 
sunset and soon filled my basket with good-sized 
trout. They were simply not feeding. The warm 
sunshine was too hot for them; no flies were on 
the water, so they would not take mine. 

Both trout and bass are rarely inclined to go for 
any lure if they see the angler, and on warm, sunny 
days it is most difficult to get the lure near enough 
238 



When to Get Them 

without either the rod or Hne, maybe the angler 
himself, being seen. Low water on such a day 

proves very thoroughly who is the ex- 
Clelr^Dlys P^^^ ^^ *^^^ duffer. Either it has to be 

the fly cast far and fine, or the worm 
worked with such art as few anglers are capable of. 
If a worm is taken under such conditions it 
must be so that the piercing eye of the trout can- 
not see either hook, leader, line, or rod, and cer- 
tainly not the angler. Above all, the worm must 
kick just like a natural worm floating down the 
stream. 



239 



CHAPTER VIII 

With What to Get Them 
RODS 

In the art of rod-making the manufacturers 
have produced the most perfect implements of the 
craft. The skill and ingenuity employed in this 
industry within the last few years shows that for 
all kinds of angling a perfect rod is available, so 
that few, if any, spend their time in making their 
own. The essential qualities of a fine rod are 
balance, lightness, pliancy, and strength. 

The time has gone by when the angler is con- 
tented to use one rod for all kinds of fishing. Each 
fish requires its own peculiar length of rod, weight, 
and strength, and each method of fly-casting, 
bait-casting, and trolling makes it neces- 
Power^ sary that the rod be suited to the style 
of work required. A first-class split 
bamboo of perfect action is, to my mind, the 
best in casting power for fly-fishing, either for 
trout or bass ; though the bamboo is such a popu- 
lar favorite here in America, it is not in such 
general use in Great Britain ; and there, as well 
240 



With What to Get Them 

as in America, salmon rods arc nearly all of 
grcenheart. Most salmon fishermen consider the 
bamboo rods light and delightful implements to 
handle, but many have found them subject to 
a kind of dry-rot near the joints, which develops 
generally after one or two seasons' use, when they 
will sometimes break at an ordinary cast, without 
the least previous sign of weakness. 

The proper bait-casting rod for bass, trout, 
pike, pickerel, wall-eye, or any fish of a like 
weight, in fresh water, should be strong, yet light 
weight; that is, six to eight ounces, and 
in length eight feet, more or less, accord- 
ing to taste. It should have a stiffish back, but 
pliable to respond to the varying moods of the 
fish. Most of the bend and play should be in the 
upper two-thirds of the rod, making a true arch. 
The most serviceable material is an ash butt and 
lance-wood second piece, and tip of the same. 

The perfect rod for fly-fishing (dry or wet) for 
trout, is also suited to l^ass, ouananiche, grayling, 
perch and other smaller fresh- water fish. It 
should be rather stiff and powerful, made either 
of split bamboo or grcenheart. The majority of 
anglers use a rod varying in length from nine to 
eleven feet. Above all things, let the length of the 
rod depend upon your own strength. The actual 
weight of the rod is not of the first importance; in 
fact, by adding weight to the butt they 
at once feel lighter, being thereby bet- 
ter balanced. I have often met anglers using a 
rod in fly-casting weighing but four or five ounces. 
241 



Fish and Fishing 

This lightness may be easier and less tiring; 
but a good, far cast is impossible, and a large- 
sized fish has considerably more power over the 
angler. These weak, whippy things are only fit 
to play fingerlings on. A good-sized, strong bass 
or ouananiche requires a powerfully built rod. 
A short, very light rod is of value for close, accu- 
rate casting with a fine line and small flies; it is 
almost useless for dry fly-fishing, as without a 
certain amount of weight toward the top the fly 
cannot be picked off the water. 

In the last few years the salmon rod has been 
modified considerably, both in length and weight. 
A rod for use from the bank should be longer than 
one used from a boat or canoe, as in the latter 
method the canoe can almost always be placed 
within an easy cast of the spot one wishes to reach; 
whereas, in fishing from the bank it is frequently 
necessary to make casts beyond the scope of a 
short rod. Few would now use a rod longer than 
eighteen feet; whereas, twenty-five years ago rods 
of twenty to twenty-four feet were in common use. 
The average size salmon rod for general use is 
from thirteen to sixteen feet long, with a weight of 
about twenty-five ounces. The combination to be 
sought in a rod, and not easy to find, is one of 
strength, lightness, and casting power that is 
adaptable to a short as well as to a long line. 
There are many rods which need 
a heavy weight of line to work well, 
and at any distance under fifteen to twenty yards 
they are too stiff for good work; others are so limber 
242 



With What to Get Them 

and springy that they are only capable of doing 
well at short ranges, and are useless for anything 
like a long cast. A properly constructed salmon 
rod should have the strength equally distributed 
from butt to tip, so that a pull at the latter point 
will cause the rod to bend throughout its entire 
length. If the spring is confined to one-half the 
length, owing to weakness of the tip or stiffness 
of the butt, the rod is defective; for in casting, the 
spring should be easily perceptible to the end of 
the butt; such a rod can be used for lake trolling 
or spinning for salmon if a shorter tip is used. 

The modern, up-to-date marine rod can be 
procured in every style, weight, or size. It can be 
made of one long tip with short butt, when jointed, 
measuring five and one-half feet and weighing 
but five ounces, up to the powerful tuna rod of 
seven feet and weight of tw^enty-five ounces. The 
angler can choose excellent rods of steel, split 
bamboo, greenheart, lance-wood, noib-wood or 
bethabera, all being priced according to the fin- 
ish and trimmings. Anglers' opinions are so 
varied as to what is really the best, that it is quite 
possible there is little difference in the matter, 
when the best of each is considered. Of the solid 

woods, a rod made of noib-wood has a 
Woods" large number of admirers because of 

its great toughness and elasticity. It 
is grown in the tropics and imported by a tackle 
dealer specially for the purpose of rod-making. 
It is admirable for salt-water fishing because it is 
harder than either greenheart or lance wood, and 
243 



Fish and Fishing 

will bear any amount of hard, rough usage. 
These rods are made with rubber detachable 
butt and patent adjustable locking reel band, 
with double bell guides and agate tips. Tips of 
various weight may be used with the same butt, 
either for light weakfishing or heavy tuna or 
tarpon. 

The best hand-made hexagonal split bamboo 
rods are certainly powerful, yet springy. They 
are made in the same varieties of weights and 
lengths, from six feet to seven and one-half feet. 
The bamboo is a general favorite and is probably 
more popular than any other kind; it is lighter, 
and if taken care of will wear for many years. 
From the nature of its construction, it 
naturally will not stand such hard usage 
as a rod of solid wood. Dampness and excessive 
heat are the greatest enemies of bamboo. It is 
very rare that a fish, if properly played, will break 
it, no matter what size the fish is. 

Of the steel rods now for sale, I can safely say 
they compare well in every particular with the 
best of the solid woods or bamboo. They are 
particularly good for salt water which 
is so trying on bamboo because both 
the salt air and water soon play havoc if due care 
is not used; but with a steel rod our mind is at 
rest. They are made, like the solid woods, to 
suit every kind of fishing. 

The salt-water rod, made for tarpon and surf- 
fishing, is powerfully built, two-piece and butt, 
six feet nine inches long, weight twenty-six ounces, 
244 



With What to Get Them 

German silver mounted, agate guides, and is about 
half the priee of a first-elass all-wood rod. If the 
angler has special fads, requiring special finish or 
different wants, he has only to express his desire 
and they are supplied. The steel rod has many 
extra advantages. One is the telescopic bait and 
fly rod, with the line running through the centre of 
the rod. This seems to be the perfection of com- 
fort in fishing, if it works right, and though I have 
not used this particular one, there is no doubt it 
is a useful rod. Everything in rods is available 
in steel. One of the latest is a combination reel 
and handle, whereby the line runs directly up the 
centre of the rod, being well balanced and natural. 
This idea, it seems to me, ought to be used in big 
game fishing, both for marine and fresh water, 
when reels are so liable to be disjointed, and have 
to be lashed on secure in addition to the usual 
seat rings. 

I have used the steel fly rod and like it. It is 
heavy, compared with the four-ounce rods, but as 
previously remarked, I don't fish for fingerlings; 
I want to cast good distances, and have confidence 
in the mastery of large fish which cannot be got 
out of a peacock's feather, and can be got out of 
a steel rod. Indeed, I hate to treat my bamboo 
harshly — not that it won't stand it, but I don't 
care to try. 

In fishing for mascalonge, I am more aggres- 
sive, because the antagonist is (if large) my equal, 
indeed, my superior in cunning, sometimes in 
strength. Now a steel rod is hard and cold; one 
245 



Fish and Fishing 

feels with a thirteen-ounce mascalonge rod, made 
of steel, no qualms of conscience that the fish will 
be lost; so we hold the rod upright, even if the 
boat is being towed. 

REELS 

It can hardly be doubted that the American 
reel as perfected at the present time is in every 
way everything that the angler could desire, so 
that few, if any, demand imported reels, as they 
do flies, gut, lines, and rods. Not only are the 
reels, as now made, well made, but they are in- 
genious to a degree, and every season we find 
some new device or attachment that is really 
worth while. A reliable, good reel contributes 
much to the pleasure of angling, especially now 
that the monster game marine fish are caught in 
true sportsman-like fashion. 

There are three kinds of reels employed in 
angling: the click reel, used by and so important to 
the fly-fisher, the multiplying reel, so 
Reels ^ ^ necessary to the bait fishermen, and 
the automatic reel, so useful when 
angling for gamy fish that run back and forth 
too quickly for the angler to retrieve in time. 
There are the "single action," "double mul- 
tiplying," and "quadruple multiplying" reels; 
there is also what is known as a "cone-bearing" 
or "compensating" reel, whereby the "cone 
screw" is tightened to keep the spool from wab- 
bling; and a number of " take-a-part " reels, all 
246 



With What to Get Them 

made so they can be cleaned and oiled and put 
together again by loosening a screw. Since 
the advent of big-game fishing a new device 
to aid the angler is called the "drag," which 
creates friction enough to prevent the fish from 
taking the line too fast, in place of the thumb 
or the "thumb drag" made of leather. Salt- 
water fishermen, in deep water or from piers, 
and at a distance from the water, use a large 
wooden reel, five to seven inches in diameter; 
for surf-fishing, a nickel-plated double multiply- 
ing reel, holding from 100 to 400 yards of line, 
made with extra-heavy gears and click. 

For tarpon and tuna fishing, large powerful 
reels are made specially designed to meet the 
terrific strain of a tuna rush, having a capacity 

,, . „ . of 300 yards of No. 24 Cuttyhunk 
Marine Reels ,. ;L,- . , -^ . 

Ime. ihey are mighty engmes 

and, when attached to the rod in use, seem power- 
ful enough to land any living moving creature of 
any size in the water. 

Since bait-casting has become one of the fine 
arts of angling, it is, of course, essential that a reel 
must not only be very rapid, but run with the 
greatest freedom and ease, so as to deliver the 
bait as far as possible at a single cast, the thumb, 
meanwhile, controlling the rapid rendering of the 
line, and preventing back lashing of the spool. 
The main object of the multiplying reel, is for 
facility in casting, not in retrieving the line. 

On the other hand, the click reel is much better 
for the purpose of casting the fly. The line is 
247 



Fish and Fishing 

lengthened gradually, a few feet being taken from 

the reel by the hand, l:)efore each cast, while the 

_ click offers the necessary resistance to 

Click Reels 4- +u r ^ ^ 

the rendering or the line and prevents 

overrunning. Furthermore, in playing and land- 
ing^ a fish, a click reel is much better when the 
spool is rapidly revolving under the rush of an 
active fish; the click acts as a gentle retard or 
break. 

In fly-fishing, my line is very fine, as is also the 
leader, so that I use a very small reel, part rubber 
and aluminum. I am not an advocate of highly 
polished metal in any part of the tackle, except as 
a bait. I have had numberless proofs that shining 
metal on the reel and on the rod are a means of 
drawing the attention of shy fish to the angler. 
For that reason choose a black or phosphor- 
bronze reel. 

Regarding the automatic reel, as yet I have not 
used it, though many friends tell me if I once take 
it up I shall not in a hurry want to discard it. 
There are a number on the market, 
Reels"^ *^ made for bass, trout, and salmon. 
One of the first and best automatic 
reels made was the Orvis reel, invented by 
Charles F. Orvis, of Manchester, Vt. It has 
a lone;, narrow barrel, enablino; a fish that "runs 
in" to be wound up so fast that the evils of a 
"slack line" need seldom be felt. Besides light- 
ness, the perforations of the side plates allow the 
air to get to the line, which prevents the latter 
from rotting if left damp. A later device, but 
248 



With What to Get Them 

somewhat similar, is a combination automatic, 
which may be made either automatic or free- 
running by the pressing of a catch; it is wound 
up by a key. The Martin automatic is another, 
similar in shape to the Orvis, but has, in addition, 
a lock brake to hold back the tension lever while 
playing the fish. 

The "Old Virginia" automatic is a reel that 
may be changed instantly from an automatic self- 
winding reel to one which embodies the good 
qualities of a multi})lying, or a single-action reel. 
The operations of the reel are changed from auto- 
matic to single action by pushing in the handle 
one-eighth of an inch. The mechanism and speed 
are controlled without releasing hold of the handle. 
The spring may be wound up by drawing off the 
line or by turning the handle as if to wind in the 
line. Of course, in case of a kink in the line the 
automatic must be a perfect terror, especially 
when wading the middle of a stream. 

LINES 

For the variety and number of game fish treated 
in this book it is imjjossible to do justice to the 
numberless different lines, dressed and undressed, 
silk, linen, and what not, for fresh water and for 
salt water, which compete for the angler's favor. 

For fly-fishing generally — by that I mean for 
salmon, trout, and bass — the best line is the tap- 
ered and enamelled water-proof braided silk ; there 
are many different makes, but for smoothness, 
249 



Fish and Fishing 

roundness, and polish, I know none better than 

the "Kingfisher" hnes, made by Martin & Sons. 

They are sold in twenty-five-yard 

CI C* V* * d %) 

Lines** *"^ coils. Four coils, or more, are con- 
nected. They are beautifully pol- 
ished, to slide through the water, and are 
perfectly water-proof, some being single-tapered, 
others double-tapered, in various sizes and 
lengths. They are made in various colors, but 
I prefer the light olive green which harmonizes 
well with the tints of the water, sky, and foliage. 
In salmon fishing the enamelled silk line is 
sometimes spliced to a double length of linen 
Cuttyhunk, the first part being fifty yards and 
the latter one hundred yards. In winding a new 
line on the reel the greatest care should be taken 
to wind it without kinking before being wet, 
otherwise it is apt to fold or loop over; but after 
a few wettings the stiffness will disappear, and 
it will also cast much better. 

In bait-casting the best line is that of raw silk, 

closely braided, and if hard it will absorb little 

water, and is therefore light and elastic. Raw-silk 

braided lines need the greatest care 

Lilies^^***"^ to preserve their usefulness. They 

should be carefully dried after use, 

as soon thereafter as possible, to prevent them 

becoming weak and rotten. Next to the raw silk 

is the braided boiled-silk line. If not closely 

braided they absorb water quite freely, and 

so cling to the rod, interfering with the free 

rendering of the line. The braided linen can be 

250 



With What to Get Them 

used in trollin<^ for bass and pickerel, l)ut for pike 
and masealonge nothing equals a medium-sized 
Cuttyhunk line which is of a dark green color. 

For all-round marine fishing the "Cuttyhunk" 
and a good hand-laid Irish linen are by far the 
best and strongest. Of the latter, a No. 12 will 
take a fish up to twenty pounds weight, No. 15 
will take a fish up to thirty pounds, No. 18 up to 
one hundred pounds, and the last can be used 
for tarpon. No. 21 is strong enough to use for 
the tuna and black sea-bass. No. 24 
Unes ^ ^^ ^^ suited to fish that require heavy 
lifting, as the jewfish, leaping sharks, 
and others. The linen fines should always be 
soaked and stretched for a day previous to use, 
and allowed to dry in this way. This sets the lay 
of the fine, and not only lessens the liability of 
kinking, but helps to even its strength. 

In tuna and tarpon fishing at least 800 feet of 
line should be on the reel when the fish is "go- 
ing;" the leather brake should never be used upon 
the line unless it is wet, as the friction will burn 
the line. The "Joseph Jefferson" tarred tuna 
line is the best for heavy fishing. 

For smaller fish up to eight pounds, there are 
numberless braided and twisted linen lines, sold 
in coils or in hanks. Every one can, without 
difficulty, suit his particular objects and tastes. 

All fishing lines that are not 

absolutely water-proof should be 

carefully dried after use; and even water-proof 

lines would be much benefited by an airing be- 

251 



Fish and Fishing 

fore putting them away. Even the best Hnes 
become weak and worthless through a want of 
proper and judicious treatment. 

GUT 

The material of which leaders and snells are 
composed is produced in Spain and Italy. It is 
the fluid silk, drawn out into various lengths, from 
the silk- worm. When the worm is about to spin 
its cocoon it is killed by being immersed in vine- 
gar which perhaps has also some effect on the 
viscid fluid in the sacs. These sacs are then 
stretched, the fluid being drawn out until the 
proper length is obtained, when the two ends are 

,,,. . . ^ .^ wound around pins driven into a 
What IS Gut? „ A Pi^ J xi JT- • 

irame. Aiterward the adhermg 

skin is stripped off, leaving the gut fibre white and 
glistening. It is then sorted according to thick- 
ness and quality and tied in bunches. This, then, 
is what is known as gut. The silk-worm gut im- 
ported into the United States, and used for lead- 
ers and snells, is in short lengths of from twelve 
to fifteen inches. In forming leaders these are 
knotted together to the desired length. There are 
many grades of gut, and to buy the best is the 

cheapest. I do not advise buying 
^"y the strands to make leaders. It is 

Leaders far better and cheaper to get leaders 

ready made. The best salmon lead- 
ers are from six to nine feet long and cost from 
sixty cents up. They are furnished with and 
252 



With What to Get Them 

without loops. The best leaders are composed 
of the longest, the roundest, most transparent 
strands, sixteen to eighteen inches long. 

A good salmon leader, with proper care, will 
last some seasons, and because of its thickness 
requires to be well soaked before casting. This 
applies to all leaders, in fly-casting, from the very 
finest trout leader to the heavy salmon. While 
very few anglers tie their own casting lines it is 
desirable for all to know how a broken leader can 
be mended, how to make a proper knot for the 
loop at the end, and how to fasten a casting line 
which has no loop at the end to the loop or eye of 
the hook. 

Abbey & Imbrie supply a mist-colored leader 
of the best quality for trout; it is perfectly even, 
strong, yet very fine. I consider this the finest 
leader obtainable and the most satis- 
Leaders^" factory for fish not over three pounds, 
either speckled, brown, or rainbow 
trout; that is, for fly-casting on running streams 
with very small flies. For lake-fishing or deep- 
water trolling, that known as "heavy trout" is 
none too thick for the purpose. I have taken 
bass, nearly three pounds, on the "extra light" 
leader and small flies in running streams. For 
the large fish of Maine and the lakes in the Adiron- 
dacks as well as in Canada, light salmon or bass 
leaders are none too light. For the heaviest fish I 
do not advise double leaders. The heaviest salmon 
leader is quite strong enough to land any fish, 
unless of unusual size. ^lost of the leaders are 
253 



Fish and Fishing 

made in three-foot lengths. They can be attached 
to any length desired, but to my mind a nine-foot 
gut cast is too long, as it is more difficult to 
bring the fish to the net with a very long leader, 
if it cannot be drawn through the ring tip. In 
salmon fishing the case is different because the rod 
is of sufficient length to handle a nine-foot leader. 
In fishing for the ouananiche I use a salmon leader, 
with dropper loop. A trout leader, even a heavy 
one, would not hold a minute against the kicks of 
that lively fish in such turbulent waters as those 
of the Grande Decharge. The use of double and 
treble gut is only desirable for snells and leaders 
in salt-water angling, and should not be used for 
any fresh-water game fish, unless in very deep- 
water fishing where the light is poor. 

For trout-fishing, the very light leaders can be 
cast much more softly on the water, and the line 
will force a light leader much more readily than 
a coarse, thick one. The same holds good in fly- 
fishing for bass. It is most essen- 
FJy and Snell tial that the fly snells be of the 
Thickness same thickness as the leader; a 

thick snell on a fine leader hangs 
down, and does not work away from the leader; 
the same difficulty is apparent if a thin snell is 
attached to a thick leader, because it always wraps 
around and gets entangled in the leader. 

It may not be amiss to state that in dry fly-fish- 
ing only one fly is used at the end of a six or nine- 
foot leader. In trout-fishing some use two flies 
with the snell of the dropper or second fly not 
254 



With What to Get Them 

more than four inches long. I always use three 
flies, on a six-foot leader; some British anglers 
use four and even six flies on a nine-foot leader. 
In salmon fishing, both sea and landlocked, 
sometimes only one fly is used, and some use two. 
In bass-fishing the same, but the snells should be 
five or six inches long on salmon leaders which 
are invariably nine feet in length. For bass-fish- 
ing with a fly, I have always used trout flies and 
tackle, and with them I have caught not a few; 
but other anglers prefer to use only two flies, and 
some only one. 

HOOKS 

Many writers expend their indignation against 
the makers when they see the fierce array of treble 
and gang hooks. On this subject I have nothing 
to say, except that I believe the matter will adjust 
itself. Those anglers who think it not humane will 
take off the gangs and use single hooks; others 
will think nothing about it, but will continue to 
use tackle that is sure to hold, with the idea that 
they go fishing to hold the quarry, not to lose 
it. The makers are there to sell what is de- 
manded; when a change is desired they will sup- 
ply it. Few anglers worry their brains about the 
bend, size, name, or strength of hooks; the ma- 
jority just purchase what the dealer recommends. 
Yet the thoughtful angler w411 delve into the *'why 
and wherefore" of hooks, intelligently to dis- 
criminate that which is best and most serviceable, 
because it is rare that shop salesmen can answer 



Fish and Fishing 

with any degree of knowledge many of the ques- 
tions put to them. 

Within the last few years, and, indeed, at the 
present time, hook-making is in a transition state, 
especially in the manner of eyed hooks, not only 
for fly-fishing but bait-fishing. I think the day is 
P . „ . not far distant when all hooks will 
be "eyed," for both large and small 
game, and the old fashion of lashing the gut to 
the shank with waxed silk will be done away with. 



c 



e 



Showing gradual improvement in correct draft line of eyed hooks. 

Eyed hooks will come into practical and general 
use among anglers. 

In both salmon and trout fishing the matter of 
eyed hooks on flies is perhaps of much greater im- 
portance than on any other hooks used in fishing, 
as it interferes with or benefits the proper working 
of the fly. Naturally, because fishing is an older sci- 
ence with them, the eyed hook is an English inven- 
tion. From the first, Hall's *'new eyed hook" or 
*'turned-up eyed hook" was used for dry floating 
flies; soon after came a decided improvement in 
the Pennell turned-down eyed hook, with a still 
further advance in excellence in the new patent, 
the up-turned shank and turned-down eyed hook. 
^5Q 



With What to Get Them 

The cut shown opposite gives a fair idea how the 
draft hne has been j)erfected. 

Not only in fly-fishing, but in big game fishing 
for tarpon and tuna, as well as for codfish, 
sheepshead, black-fish and bass the eyed hook 
is commonly used. Its convenience is that any 
attachment, either snell or line, can readily be 
fastened. If the eye is properly made it holds 
more weight than any other form. 

There seems to be no limit to the number of 

Popular hook bends. 

shapes and bends of hooks, and the most popular 

all-round hook, for large-size fish, seems to be the 

sproat or O'Shaughnessy. Between 

Bend^ ^^ *^^ *^^^ *^^^^'^ ^^ ^^^^^^ difference; both 
are strong and powerful in shape the 
sproat being what may be termed a central 
draught hook, that is, the direction of the 
point of the hook is toward the end of the 
shank. In tarpon and tuna fishing, the Van 
Vleck shaped hook is more in common use. It is 
a deep, wide hook, with short shank; its appear- 
ance gives evidence of great holding power. Most 
of the shanks are eyed or ringed to the various 
snells by means of a large swivel to connect the 
line. There are three snells used for tarpon, one 
a four-inch solid linked chain, attached to the 
257 



Fish and Fishing 

hook by a ring, fastened to a four and one-half- 
foot piano wire; the second style is a thirty-inch 
phosphor-bronze cable, with end swivels; the 
third is a thirty-six-inch, hand-plaited, linen snell, 
wound with copper wire. 

For smaller game the favorite hooks now mostly 
used in the United States are the sproat, Carlisle, 





Author's method. 
Reel-line and casting-line attachments. 



Names 



O'Shaughnessy, Aberdeen, Dublin Bend, and 
Hollow Point Limerick, and the new pattern 
of Pennell Limerick hooks. With regard 
to the best bend of hooks opinions are so 
wide and varied that it would be wearisome to 
the angler to describe them. Some like the points 
bent slightly sideways, claiming that it helps the 
point of the hook to catch in the fish's mouth. 
Another considers the side bend the worst possible 
crook given to a fish hook, being both unscientific 
and impracticable. Personally, I like a slight 
bend in fly hooks, as well as bait hooks, especially 
for minnows or worms. The live bait, to my 
258 



With What to Get Them 

mind, holds on the hook better and I think holds 
the fish more securely. 

There is no question that if the angler persists 
in getting the highest grades of the best makers. 



C 



Single slipknot attachment. 




Double slipknot attachment. 



mostly English, he would be on the right track. 
Anglers soon find out what they like most in style 
of bend, of shank, barb and point, all of which are 
of the greatest importance. Some hooks are made 



s^2ZOC£s 



Single fisherman's knot or buffer knot. 




Double fisherman's knot. 



for general service, others formed for particular 
kinds of fish or special methods of angling. 

In using eyed hooks every fly fisherman should 
understand how to tie a strong, neat, and durable 
259 




Knot for gut-loop. 



Fish and Fishing 

knot, to join together broken gut, to make a 
proper attachment of drop fly to casting Hne, and 

to connect the casting gut to reel hne. 
Knots'^ For the latter I have never known the 

method that I use to fail, and it is the 
easiest to do, and undo, being simply a common 
bow knot tied to the loop, commonly called 
tiller-hitch or helm-knot. 
Before tying, gut should 
always be well soaked in 
tepid water, as it frays 
and cracks if dry. De- 
cidedly the best, as well 
as the simplest knot, 
and one that is 
equally applicable 
to the finest as well 
as the strongest gut, 
is what is known 
as the single and 
double fisherman's 
knot. Then there is 
the buffer knot for salmon gut, the half-hitch jam 
knot and a single and double slipknot attachment 
to eyed hooks. The tyro can study the plates on 
knots, then by practising them can learn to tie each 
readily and properly. Sometimes the eyes are 
not of the same size; if too large for the gut the 
fly is liable to slip down out of place. In 
other words, it does not firmly stand out from the 
gut; in that case it should be tied double. If the 
eye is too small for the gut to go through, then 
260 




Half-hitch jam knot. 




Completed. 



With What to Get Them 

smaller gut can be used. The main point is to 
have the knot neat and so easily made that it can 
be undone without using a knife to cut the gut, 
which soon becomes too short for service if cut 
often. Many of the trout and bass leaders are 
now made with loops, generally three loops, so 



f 




Salmon drop-fly attachment. 



that if eyed hooks are used the snell has simply a 
loop tied at one end, leaving the other end to be 
affixed to the hook by a jam knot, the length of 
the snell being not over three inches. Short snells 
and droppers stand out much better from the 
leader. 

EQUIPMENT 

DRESS 



To some "half the fun " of fishing is to get soak- 
ing wet, but they are mostly in the period of "wild 
youth"; in after years, and having become vete- 
rans, they would give something considerable to 
have omitted such fun. Getting soaked and re- 
261 



Fish and Fishing 

maining so engenders many of the after ills 
that flesh is heir to, in the shape of rheumatism, 
neuralgia, varicose veins, and the rest of them. 
Don't make a practice of going into cold spring 
water at all seasons of the year. In warm 
weather a pair of brogans and a suit of old 
woollen thin clothes are best. For the months 
of April, May — even June and September — Octo- 
ber and November especially, keep your toes 
warm. Of wading trousers, shoes, and hip boots 
there are legion. Those imported from England 
are excellent material and make, but so clumsy, 
heavy, and tedious to put on and off as to be a per- 
fect burden. To put on a pair of "life-belt wad- 
ing trousers" a reasonably fat man has to have 
two or three assistants, and to take them off use a 
derrick. Mackintosh trousers with rubber feet are 

tolerably good wading boots, having heavy 
Ck)7hes ^'^bber soles and canvas uppers ; they have 

good qualities, as have leather brogans 
over wading trousers. All these, however, require 
much care, to dry and keep in order and keep 
pliable. To my mind, nothing is so good for wad- 
ing streams in fly-fishing as a pair of *' Goodyear 
hip boots" and a folding rubber cap with cape, 
covering the shoulders, these to be worn over the 
above-mentioned old suit of gray woollen thin 
cloth ; the rubber cape is only used when it rains, 
otherwise it can be kept in a snug corner of the 
creel. In ordinary weather, the neat, small, close- 
fitting peak cap, over which the rubber cap will 
snugly cover, can be worn. The streams I wade 



With What to Get Them 

are very strong and slippery and to obviate con- 
stant "duckings" I wear a pair of leather sandals, 
made of thin, pliable leather, easily buckled; the 




Author's sandal. 

1. Upper view, ready to slip on. 2. As worn over rubber hip boots. 

simply buckles at the back. 3. Lower view, showing 

shape of upper leather unbuckled. 

sandal having a stout but not thick sole, studded 
with hobnails. In walking any great distance, 
out of water I slip them off and place them in the 
creel till again required. These sandals serve a 
number of purposes; they prevent slipping, give 
263 



Fish and Fishing 

a solid grip to the feet, and prolong the life of the 
rubber boots to two and three seasons' hard usage; 
without the sandals they would wear out in a sea- 
son. The sandals I now wear I have 
and Sandlls "«^^ ^^g^* years, and they are good 
for as many more, with new nails 
and slight mending now and then at small cost. 
These sandals are not on the market, being made 
by a harness-maker, living near the Beaverkill 
River, and are in use by many of the anglers on 
that river. Any cobbler of average intelligence 
could make a pair from the cut here given. I 
have found them the greatest comfort of any part 
of my angling outfit. They cost to make two 
dollars, but are worth their weight in gold. In- 
side the rubbers I wear hand-knitted socks of 
gray, "all wool"; they are a blessing, absorb the 
moisture if the feet are wet, as sometimes one 
punches a hole in the rubbers, and keep the feet 

warm. For early spring, when the 
Socks ^" weather is chilly, I put on a woollen 

sweater to keep the chest warm and the 
cold from my throat and neck; when it is worn 
the waistcoat can be discarded. The advantages 
of the outfit are that it is light, not bulky to pack ; 
indeed, it can all be packed in a dress-suit case 
for a two weeks' trip. The fishing suit should not 
be too disreputable to wear at table and about the 
hotel; if it is, the travelling suit has to be con- 
stantly put on at meal time. In short, this outfit 
is cheap, light to carry, light in use. 

Hip boots, if punctured, are more easily 
264 



With What to Get Them 

patched and mended, require no care to dry and 
keep in order, look well, and last longer. One 
sees at times a "guy" dressed up in full regalia 
frorn tip to toe, like a knight in armor, so that the 
"natives" wonder if the thing is not a "Coney 
Island barker." 

In fishing from a boat in the rain, the best cov- 
ering is the duck-hunter's rain shirt, which is tight 

^ . ^. . to the neck and sleeves, and long 
Ram Shirts , ^ .i i i^u • 

enough to cover the legs; there is 

nothing more miserable than to sit still in pouring 

rain without proper covering. 

For Southern fishing in Florida, Texas, and 
other warm sections, conditions are entirely the 
reverse, there being little or no rain, but much sun 
and hot weather. Everybody knows that white, 
thin material is cool and comfortable, and the 
main object is to be provided with a light, broad- 
brimmed head-covering that will not 
Rs"hhfg" blow away. A useful article to be pro- 
vided with is a mosquito shield for the 
head. They are cheap and can be folded com- 
pactly, and will be found most serviceable both 
night and day. At certain seasons some localities 
are infested with many species of abominable in- 
sects which make life burdensome. 

The best head covering for hot climates is the 
"fisherman's phantom hat," made of a very light 
fabric, which can be folded and carried in the 
pocket without inconvenience. The sweat band 
is adjustable and will fit any sized head. It is 
suitable for ladies' or gentlemen's wear. 
205 



Fish and Fishing 



SUNDRIES 



I might under this heading fill a chapter, if not 
a volume, as, taking the term in its broadest sense, 
fishing "sundries" might be made to embrace the 
entire contents of a tackle shop. But I will briefly 
refer to a number of necessary articles, useful to 
the angler and liable to be overlooked. 

There are a few tools of inestimable value to 
the angler, which can be got small, compact, and 
easily carried in the inside pocket. First and fore- 
most is a pair of fine steel cutting pliers, 
Required ^^^^ useful when you get to a barb- 
wire fence that is impassable (it fre- 
quently happens to fat men) . Pliers come in handy, 
should the hook accidentally fasten on the flesh, 
either of face or hands; such a thing happens in 
casting, though not often. Don't attempt to work 
the barb back, which is a painful and dangerous 
operation, but simply cut the point and barb off 
with the pliers, then the hook comes out easily. I 
once had to cut quite a hole in my first finger with 
the point of a pair of scissors, entailing the loss of 
blood that pliers would have saved in extracting 
the hook. In addition to the " cutting pliers "a pair 
of round and flat-nose pliers come in handy. An- 
other valuable tool is a file for hooks 
Knfff'^ and other things. The fishing knife is 
an indispensable addition to a satisfac- 
tory outfit for the angler. A proper knife should 
have a good stout blade, scissors, screw driver, 
266 



With What to Get Them 

and disgorgcrs. If they cannot be had in a com- 
bination article, they are necessary as separate 
pieces. The scissors are needed for fly-tying and 
gut-mending, the screw driver for reels, etc. The 
live-bait angler requires many more 
BaU=Angler's ^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^j^^^ ^^^ ^^ fisherman— 

his collection contains minnow pails, 
frog cans, bait boxes, dip nets and baskets. All 
these are now made foldable. To the ingenious 
inventors all anglers 
should be ever grateful 
and encourage such 
enterprise by purchas- 
ing their devices, 
whether they are re- 
quired or not; they 
will come in handy at ^^^,^^,^ ^^,^^ 

times. Being water- 
tight and weather-proof they do not spoil with 
age and can be washed clean and kept odorless. 

Bulky fly books are a nuisance to carry, with a 
possible chance of dropping out of the pocket and 
floating away. A careful selection of the flies for 
the day's use can easily be made and placed in the 
small round boxes, sold for that pur- 
aiid Hoifks P^^^- ^^ stated elsewhere, I attach 
a selection of flies to half a dozen 
leaders and take only those along, in a flat box 
with damp felt or blotting paper between the 
leaders to avoid entangling, and they are ready at 
all times to change in a "jiffy." 

On the market there are a host of leader boxes, 
267 




Fish and Fishing 

but the neatest and most serviceable is the one 
shown in the cut, designed to hold eyed flies in 
centre box and casting lines surrounding it. One 
dealer has a neat, cheap useful X-ray tackle 
book to hold little things — swivels, links, small 
sinkers, etc., where you can see them at a glance 
through a transparent face. It is just the thing 
to take along for the day, 
for flies and leaders. 

All-round anglers re- 
quire a gaff with two 
handles, long and short; 

, « J ,VT X each may be 

Oaff and Net , ^ n^ 

made to lit 

the gaff hook. A correct 
gaff hook should be per- 
fectly straight up in the saftey fly and cast box. 
point; an incorrect hook 

has the point bent out or is provided with a 
barb. Such gaffs tear great holes in the fish and 
hold no better. 

If the angler wants only one net he should have 
a long and short handle to fit. I have two nets, 
large and small, both folders; the small one with 
fine mesh, at times useful to catch bait, and the 
larger mesh for big fish — pickerel, small pike, 
ouananiche, large trout, and large bass. 

A net, while troublesome and always in the 

way, is indispensable in all kinds of 

game-fishing. It should be attached 

to the coat or belt by a long rubber ring that will 

stretch as far as the hand in reaching the fish. 

2G8 




With What to Get Them 



The rubber can be hooked by means of a "pin 
carrier," easy to detach. There are various pins 
sold; the one in the shape of a safety pin, with a 
hook for the handle ring, is safe and reliable. 
Large nets with long handles can be hung from the 
shoulders, down the back (handle downward), 
and fastened to the creel strap on a hook, but so 
placed as to be instantly within 
reach. Those who won't carry 
a net lose many big fish. The 
regulation willow creel in shape 
is as perfect as can be. When 

bought new, it is best 

to stain the creel either 



Stained 
Creels 



a dark blue, green, or 




Incorrect form of 
2. Correct 
form of gaff. 



brown. Time tones it down a 
lovely color, and it never looks 
dirty. After a few days' use the 
natural willow loses its cleanly 
look, and soon shows dirt and 
blood marks. Another advan- 
tage of a dark-colored creel is 
that it harmonizes with the clothes, and is not seen 
easily by fish. Any light-colored article is easily 
seen through the water. From the first the strap 
should be adjusted so as to fit the body snug. If 
it does not, when full of fish, it wobbles around 
and feels twice as heavy to carry. The folding 
canvas creels I don't like; fish cannot be kept 
fresh, for they become heated for lack of air and 
the creels soon become dirty, and have unpleas- 
ant odors. 

269 



Fish and Fishing 

Of tackle boxes there are no end, and the 
angler can choose from the variety those suiting 
his fancy. The same can be said of hook and fly 
books; every one has some good points, but as in 
everything else, the simplest are best. Careless 
anglers soon get the boxes and hooks in 
Boxes^ tangled confusion anyhow, after a time 
accumulating a vast amount of needless 
things that are of service only on rare occasions. 
The best place to put them is in far corners, out 
of the way, and those things constantly required 
should be placed most convenient to get at. 

For the angler who smokes, a pipe is the only 
comfort on the stream. A turn-down brier is the 
article. Though an inveterate smoker, I rarely 
indulge while wading. I forget to puff, so it goes 
out. To light a pipe in the wind, 
WhoTmoke holding the rod, getting out the 
pouch and filling up, in addition to 
the trouble of lighting the pipe, is hardly worth the 
temporary comfort. The serene delight, when 
sitting down in a shady nook after lunch with a 
pipe, is perfectly ideal. I once dropped my pipe 
in swift water, watched it float beautifully away, 
and turning aside in disgust, caught sight of an- 
other pipe floating toward me which I grabbed 
quickly and found it to be much better and 
more expensive than the one I lost. The incident 
made me hope mine would likewise cheer some 
brother down stream. The best pouch is the 
screw folding-top article, made of rubber; in 
closing up it instantly becomes practically air- 
270 



With What to Get Them 

tight, and lies flat and snug in the pocket. The 
best match is what is called "Blazers." They are 
wind-proof, always strike (if dry), and they should 
be kept dry in the upper inside pocket. 

The proper spring balance for weighing fish has 



Spring tape measure. 



Hook made to spring round 

balance when not 

in use 



Author's suggestion for combination spring balance, 
and yard tape measure. 



yet to be made. Those now offered are danger- 
ous things to carry. The balance should be 
made so that the hook can fit 

^^.^.^*^*^ out of the way of hooking fast in 
and Measure ., , . "^ , , . ^ , , 

Fish the pockets and elsewhere. My 

idea of a good one is a combina- 
tion affair of balance and tape measure of one 
yard to spring from the top, and the hook so made 
as to fit safely round the side. Till such is 
made, a small spring tape measure is useful to 
actually prove that a fish is as big as it really is. 
Nobody believes an angler's estimate as to size 
271 



Fish and Fishing 



*'Une 
Releaser 




without seeing it measured. A flat rule measures 
about an inch short on a curved fish. To meas- 
ure a fish fair and true the tape should be placed 
on the tip of the snout to the middle of 
the tail, not either of the tail tips. 

A useful little device, furnished by 
Wm. Mills & Sons, is a "line re- 
leaser." The beginner, especially, will 
find it a mighty good investment. The 
casts of flies hanging on over- 
head branches, along well- 
fished streams, tell the tale 
of the need of such a device. The 
"releaser" is inserted on the tip of the 
rod, under the rubber band, and the rod raised 
for the cutter to straddle the twig; then with- 
draw the rod and a sharp pull on the string 
cuts the twig, and saves the flies and leader. 

Another good article for bot- 
tom-bait anglers is the "clear- 
ing ring." The hook too 
frequently becomes fast on 
rocks or snags at the 
mnir bottom. The ring 
is run down the line 
to the obstruction and its 
weight detaches the hook. A 
hand line is fastened to the 

ring to draw it up. If the Clearing ring. 

hook is firmly fastened the ring can be raised a 
few feet by the cord and allowed to drop suddenly 
to clear the hook. This same device is as ser- 

272 




With What to Get Them 

viceable in fly-fishing when the hook sometimes 
becomes fastened on a rock or log. The ring 
easily releases it. 

WOMEN WHO FISH 

The women who fish are plenty, the women 
who wade are few. Yet fly-casting is an art more 
suited to women than any other mode of fishing; 
good exercise for the entire body, 
Fly=Casting active play for the mind, poetical as 
Women well as artistic pastime, and cleanly, 

as well as the least cruel. The most 
sensitive nerves would hardly balk at unhooking 
a little artificial, feathery fly from the lips, most 
often outside the lips, of a trout. There is no 
wriggling live bait to handle, and no digging down 
the fish's gorge to extract the hook. The daintiest 
methods are pursued that should entice many 
women to the streams. The trout has no spines 
to wound the fingers in handling, and however 
big, it will not bite. With all these advantages in 
woman's favor, the day will come, I fear, when 
laws will be passed excluding all men from taking 
brook trout, and reserving them entirely for the 
women. Her most vexing problem in wading is 
that of dress — how she looks in and after leaving 
the water. The difficulty is easily solved by 

wearing ample divided skirts of very 
Dress ^ soft, woolly material, that will easily tuck 

inside the upper part of the waders. In 
so doing they need not wade in deeper water than 
two feet. After leaving the water the ample folds 
273 



Fish and Fishing 

can be let down in the usual way. Some will, 
perhaps, prefer to enter the water in high boots 
and duxbak skirt, letting it get wet as deep as 
they choose to wade. In brooks and small rivers 
it is never necessary to wade deep, so that but a 
few inches of a short skirt need be wetted. Be 
the skirts what they choose, similar clothing should 
be used to that mentioned for men's outfit. The 
jacket made to go with the duxbak skirt would no 
doubt be a wonder to any woman, with its twelve 
pockets of all sizes, inside and out, like hotel 
labels stuck on a returned European trunk, but 
the pockets are handy nevertheless. In the 
choice of headgear I do not presume to advise, 
but meekly suggest that any light-weight felt, with- 
out feathers or other flimflams, would be agree- 
able to most male anglers on the stream. The 
duxbak hat for women goes nicely to match the suit, 
which is a soft, light-green color, and rain-proof. 
Tackle for women is exactly the same as that 
used for men, except that every item should be 
lighter. The rod should be four and a half ounces, 
T n ^^^^ light line and reel, small-sized creel, 
and net. If the fair angler is a novice 
she should have a male companion, patient, at- 
tentive, and all-wise in the mysteries of the art, 
to coach her upon every point to make, and every 
move taken. She will soon become an adept if 
she is willing to act upon advice given. Should 
a fish take the fly, she must simply raise the rod 
tip, and keep it there, letting the fish do the work 
by playing around till thoroughly worn out, then 
274 



With What to Get Them 

she should quickly reel in till the fish is near enough 
to place the net beneath it, swooping it upward 
and carrying it to the river side on dry 
for^ Trout *^ land, there to extract the hook and 
plop the fish through the hole in the 
creel, where it is safe. Take no notice of its kick- 
ing; it only wants to get back to the water, which, 
of course, is not the purpose of fishing. The first 
success will fire the fair angler to further deeds. 

In angling from a boat, either trolling or still- 
fishing with bait, dress counts for little; it can be 
anything to suit. In nine cases out of ten she will 
require an escort to bait her hooks and take off the 
fish from the hooks. I have known women do such 
things themselves, and enjoy it merrily. I have 
seen one land a good, big bass, though it broke the 
rod. She held on like grim death till the monster 
w^as boated; at the same time I wrestled with a 
big pike which seemed determined to stay right 
under the boat. But women have invaded the 
fields of larger game, tackling alone and 
Game*^ unaided, the monster tarpon and black 
sea-bass. Record fish have been taken 
by them weighing over two hundred and fifty 
pounds. The plucky holder of the record fish 
is a woman from Kentucky, a State made famous 
by its fair daughters. 

Angling by women is as yet in its infancy. 
When they do take it up as a serious diversion or 
recreation I predict that most States will have to 
stock the streams much more thoroughly than 
they do at the present time. 
275 



CHAPTER IX 

How to Play and How to Land Them 
WAY TO HANDLE ROD 

The playing and landing of fishes are casually 
described under the heading of the game fish 
treated, but a few general rules that will apply to 
all fish are important. The experienced expert 
may skip this chapter, but the youthful tyro will 
find this part of the angler's art to be most valu- 
able if correctly done, extremely vexing if done ig- 
norantly. First, in playing a hooked fish three 
rules must be followed — a taut line, rod always up- 
right, the reel running free. Under 
these conditions, a fish, however large, 
cannot unhook itself, assuming the tackle is not 
defective. The play of the bending rod tip keeps 
the game in perfect control; the reel should have 
a restraining click but it should not be too hard, 
and the line ought not to be touched or manipu- 
lated by the hands, but by the reel handle instead. 
Nearly always the bass, ouananiche, numerous 
trouts, and the unspotted mascalonge, as soon as 
they feel the prick of the barb, shoot above the 
surface first. Immediately they do, the tip being 
27G 



How to Play and How to Land Them 

up, it should be then sHghtly lowered and raised 
again as they get back to water, when they inva- 
riably surge to the bottom and run along, or stop 
there and jigger, that is, shake their heads back 
and forth, or roll over and over. Finding no re- 
lief and that they are still restrained by the line, 
they may make a running surge away or perhaps 
back to the angler; he should then reel, or give, 
as the case needs. All this time, the bending tip 
is doing the work of playing and tir- 

pfsh^Work ^^S th^ fish» t^^s being kept up until 
it shows a willingness to come to the 
surface, showing the whole white, or underside, 
of the body, which proves its surrender; or it may 
allow itself to be worked with only its head above 
the surface and body covered. At that stage of 
the game the fish, if possible, should be worked 
along with the flow of water, not against it, for 
two reasons: one is that the angler works easier 
down stream and has a better footing for moving 
rapidly; also, the fish is more quickly subdued by 
reason of losing its breath with the water, instead 
of gaining breath, against it. Cool, determined 
action is required. Slow deliberate work is better 
than a hurried desire to land the fish for fear of 
its loss. 

From the moment the fish strikes the lure, be it 
a fly or bait, the rod tip must at once be raised as 
near perpendicular as can be. In that position it 
should stay till the fish is on shore or in the net. 

Some anglers prefer to manipulate the reel 
handle with the left hand, others with the right. 
277 



Fish and Fishing 

I always reel in with my right hand, holding the 
rod with my left; this, I am aware, requires a 
quick change from right hand to left to hold the 
rod at the strike, but I gain in the extra strength 
and delicacy by using the right hand. 

In boat-fishing, either with the fly or bait, the rod 
is not so easy to work when seated as it is in stand- 
ing up, and to play a fish properly, the butt should 
rest solidly against the body. Sit perfectly still in 
the middle of the seat or chair, with feet firmly 
planted and knees well out of the way of action. 

^ . Don't run excitedly around the boat. 
Keep Cool . „ . .. • -. . . 

loilowmg the quarry m its tantrums. 

Permit the oarsman to keep the boat from weeds 

and away from the fish. As in river fishing, 

allow the rod tip to do the work and the fish to 

make the fight. All there is in it is just to. keep the 

line tight, rod up and hand on the reel. It is a 

revelation how much the fish does, how little the 

angler needs to do, if the right way is pursued. 

Never have a long line hanging down from the 

rod and reel to get tangled up at the bottom of 

the boat, or wound round the feet. That method 

is only proper when the rod and reel are not in 

use, viz.: hand-line fishing. Every inch of line 

should run directly from the reel through the 

guides of the rod, the fish unreeling, the handle 

reeling in. If a fish gets fast to a rock, 
Fisif "^ ® log, or weeds, in river fishing, keep a 

tight line and slowly walk round to 
another point and lower the tip a little, to give an 
opportunity for it to make a new start; if it does 
278 



How to Play and How to Land Them 

not, go back to the same spot again, giving a lit- 
tle tip and raise it with a little extra pressure. It 
may go ; if it does not, tighten the line and see if 
a waiting game is any good. If it does not move, 
the line is no doubt fast and the fish gone with 
part of the leader; a slight whip movement must 
be tried to .loosen the rest of the line. 

The remarkable variety of ways by which dif- 
ferent kinds of fish resist capture is endless. In the 
larger kinds of marine game fish, their great bulk, in 
a measure, stops them from using de- 
How Fish vices so common in smaller game fish 
Resist the 
Net ^ like the bass, trout, salmon, ouan- 

aniche or even the mascalonge. The 
last I have known to wind itself in the line half 
a dozen times by rolling over and over on the sur- 
face, then to slap the lure, hanging from its jaws, 
viciously with its tail, successfully breaking the 
line. It is a common practice of the pike to come 
up like a lamb only to make a sudden and violent 
lunge just as it is being netted, when the line is 
reeled in tight. On one occasion, after play- 
ing a large rainbow trout for some time, I had it, 
as I thought, "just as good as landed," with its 
nose in the net, but with a sudden bound it shot 
right between my legs, snapping the rod to shiv- 
ers because of the short line. I have had a decided 
opinion for many years that a game fish is not 
safe till it is rapped on the head and quiet. Few 
trout fishermen will Ijother with a net, but they 
lose large fish if the water side is not suitable 
for beaching them. Bass fishermen often trust 
279 



Fish and Fishing 

to the large hooks and hft them. Ouananiche 
cannot be taken from the water without a net. 
Mascalonge as well as salmon are nearly always 
gaffed, or the mascalonge as well as pike are often 
shot through the head with a bullet from a re- 
volver. This I do not approve, being a step from 
angling into hunting. In river fishing, or wading 
rapid streams, if the sides are sloping, pebbly 
shores, it is safer to lead the fish and pull it grad- 
ually up the side from the water. If that is not 
possible, the net only is available. After 
the Net ^^^ ^^^ ^^ thoroughly tired, reel up till 
the leader touches the tip ; then with the 
right hand hold the net, holding the rod high 
above the head with the left hand; work the fish 
close in, nose facing the net, which is placed well 
under the water; when the greater part of the fish 
is above the net, scoop it up, at once releasing the 
line strain. To extract the hook, while holding 
net and rod, is difficult while standing in the 
water, but with a little patience it can be done. 
If possible, step on shore, for it saves time, as 
everything can be laid down on dry land, and the 
work done more quickly. 

When fly-fishing, the flies are sure to get en- 
tangled in the net and extra trouble made to get 
the kicking fish in the basket. Further details 
how to use the net are given in "Landing Trout." 
The same method is pursued with all other fish. 
To gaff any large-sized fish — pike, mascalonge, or 
salmon — it should never be attempted in very 
shallow water, if it can be avoided. The gaffer 
280 



How to Play and How to Land Them 

should always keep a little below where he ex- 
pects the fish to be brought toward him, and 
wherever he places himself he should remain 
stationary, in a stooping position, with the gaff 
ready for action. Should he move about the fish 
will probably get sight of him, and if it does the 
chances are it will make a run away 
Gaffing and will not allow itself to be 

Mascalonge brought within reach till exhausted. 
What the angler has to do is to wait 
till the fish is quiet, then get its nose above water, 
and run it to the gaffer, who will seize the oppor- 
tunity, give one clip and all is over. On no ac- 
count should he attempt to put the gaff in, should 
the fish commence to struggle, but wait patiently 
till it is quiet again. To gaff a fish, as it should 
be done, requires great nerve and a great deal of 
practice. An experienced gaffer will bide his 
time and gaff the fish somewhere below the back 
fin, which will balance it as nearly as possible 
and prevent the flesh being torn in the struggle. 

To gaff a fish in deep, rapid water is a more 
difficult thing than it appears. For the angler to 
gaff his own fish requires great skill and dex- 
terity, as the risk incurred with the line 
Water^^ being wound up so short to enable him 
to reach the fish makes it very likely 
that the rod will get smashed. To gaff a fish 
while in a boat is the easiest. The only thing is 
to take care the fish is quiet; then drive it in the 
right spot, always, if possible, near the middle of 
the body, so that in lifting into the boat, its 
281 



Fish and Fishing 

struggles are merely side to side. Never try to 
gaff a fish before it is completely tired and do- 
cile; let it run time and again till it is 
used to the sight of the angler. If the 
strike is short and only makes a wound in the side 
with insufficient hold, let it go, keeping a firm grip 
on the handle. AVhen brought back again, take 
true aim and strike hard. 

The gaff handle should be at least three feet 
long and the point perfectly straight and very 
sharp. The strike should be made in one single 
drive home, sufficient, if possible, to stun the fish 
for the time being. With the same action of the 
drive the fish should be lifted right into the boat 
or on shore; it should not remain in the 
water an instant after the gaff pierces the 
flesh. If it does, the fish kicks so vigorously that 
some difficulty ensues in getting it out, especially if 
it sinks a little, giving an opportunity to take ad- 
vantage of the water force, and to struggle till it 
wriggles off the hook; slack the line so soon as 
the gaff is securely placed. 



CHAPTER X 

The Right Way to Keep Fish Fresh 

IN THE CREEL 

Most fish when first taken from the water are 
very beautiful. Their plump, cool, shining bodies 
are solid, yet springy. How different they look 
after the day's fishing is done, and they have been 
perhaps, carried several miles exposed to the burn- 
ning sun. The creel is opened on arrival at the 
hotel to find the fish dried stiff, so that they could 
be stood upright like a burnt stick. The careful 
angler does better. On the way down the stream 
he looks out for dock plant, plucking enough of the 
large, luxuriant leaves to line the creel and keep 
the fish in their natural beauty. Neither grass nor 
ferns make a good lining for the creel, as both 
leave ugly print marks on trout, and neither is so 
good to keep the fish fresh or free from flies. If the 
creel is lined with large dock leaves the fish (espe- 
cially small ones), lie snugly together. 
Creel ^ ^ their cool bodies being unmarked; 
they also keej) fresh, because the air 
cannot penetrate between them, and for that reason 
they keep their color. Opportunity is given for 
283 



Fish and Fishing 

fresh air to enter from the top, and the fish being 
a sohd mass at the bottom are perfectly fresh and 
bright at the end of the fishing. When that is 
over and no other fish are to be put in the basket, 
another layer of dock leaves should be laid on top 
to keep the sun and dust from the fish on the re- 
turn tramp or ride home. All small fish, especially 
perch, bass, pickerel, and trout, soon dry up when 
taken from the water. The slimy substance on 
trout soon becomes absorbed in the skin, the tail 
and fins dry as a stick, and their whole appearance 
not half so pleasing as when first caught. 

Every day the creel should be well washed; if 
it is not, flies will blow in the crevices of the 
wickerwork, and in a few days maggots appear 
before the angler is aware of it. Never leave small 
fish in the creel overnight, because if 
Creel ^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ ground, ants and other in- 
sects swarm around, get inside the 
fish and so rot them. Some anglers make a bed of 
ferns do for the entire trip of several weeks, with 
possibly a few stray little fish lost in the bed, so 
that in a few days the creel is a foul, ill-smelling 
thing, not fit to have in a room; much less is it fit 
to have fresh-caught trout laid in so vile a place. 

If the angler makes a full day's sport, he should 
at lunch time take the creel from his shoulder and 
place it in the cool water, two inches deep, of 
some running spring, after he has quenched 
his thirst. Let it lie there, shaded by trees or 
plants, while he lunches. When through, take 
the creel out, and let it drip well before resuming 
284 



Right Way to Keep Fish Fresh 

sport. This cool bath will not only freshen the fish 
but revive the leaves, and so give sufficient moist- 
ure to the fish for the remainder of the journey. 
While fishing in a boat, on a lake or pond, it is 
better to have, a creel with you. The sloppy, 
dirty method of letting the catch lie at the bottom 

of the boat, flopjiing around, dirty- 
^\n Boat^^ ^^& clothing and boat, moreover 

drying and rotting in the sun, is 
a thing to be avoided. The creel can be lined 
with some lily leaves, which prevent the heat 
from the bottom of the boat getting to the fish. 
The creel should be kept well shaded from the 
sun, conveniently near the angler, so that it is 
possible to unhook and drop the fresh fish where 
they may be kept together. A covered box is not 
so good, though better than nothing. There is 
less chance for the air to get in a box, to keep 
them fresh and moist. Some anglers have a "fish 
string," bought at the tackle shops. They string 
the fish through the gills, hanging them dangling 
in the water. This method has nothing to recom- 
mend it. Those fish in the water change color, 
those out dry up, and the trouble of stringing live 
fish, especially bass, is annoying. In fact the 
"fish string" is a snare, especially to carry any 
distance; it is neither clean nor convenient. 

ICING THEM 

To carry very large fish not convenient to put 
in a creel, from five to twenty pounds' in weight, 

285 



'Carry=AIi" 



Fish and Fishing 

like salmon and mascalonge, the best thing I know 
is a "carry-all," which is simple, easy and light. 
Scotch anglers have a woven bas- 
ket with two handles, to be carried 
over the shoulders with a stout stick. The 
"usk" basket will carry half a dozen salmon or 
pike comfortably. A "carry-all" need only be 
a double piece of rubber canvas or plain canvas 
matting, with two straps attached, or the shoulder 




Double piece of water-proof can- 
vas held together by straps 
for the shoulder. 



Rush woven basket, to be carried on the 
shoulders by means of stick 
or rod-butt. 



Baskets for large fish. 

strap passed through metal rings at the top, the 
larger fish showing the heads and tails at the 
sides. To be satisfactory they should be made 
strong, if they are to hold heavy fish. Such 
bags as these should, if possible, be lined with 
leaves to keep the fish moist and their skin bright 
and fresh. The dock leaf is best be- 
Mms"^ cause of its large size and smooth sur- 
face; in boat-fishing, pike and mas- 
calonge can be slung in the "carry-all," from 
one of the boat seats. In salmon fishing one 
rarely goes unaccompanied by a guide or two, and 
286 



Right Way to Keep Fish Fresh 

they use their own methods of taking care of the 
fish, usually placing them carefully at the bottom 
of the canoe and covering them over from the 
sun's rays. It is often a difficult problem to trans- 
port large fish, like trout, pike, or salmon. Half a 
dozen ten-pound fish are quite enough for a tired 
angler to lug, even a short distance. If nothing 
better can be done, a good, stout, heavy stick may 
be slung across the shoulders, with the fish hung 
up by the gills and balanced front and back evenly. 
Many anglers often land a big fish some days 
before they desire to return home, and they want 
to save such a trophy for a city friend. I often pick 
out of the day's catch a brace of trout to keep 
for my return home. I do not believe fish keep 
better after being "gutted" or opened and the in- 
sides taken out. The best way to preserve salmon, 
trout, pike, and bass (the two latter fish keep 
longer fresh) is to take the best care not to bruise 
or handle them, and not even wash them, but 
simply take them from the creel, handling them 
"gingerly," only by the gill covers. They should 

^. . then be placed on a large cake of 

Icing Fish . ..1.1 ... 1 

ice, in the ice-house, so situated 

that ice will be above as well as below them. I 

usually ask to have a block taken right out, leaving 

a space ample for the fish I expect to keep, and then 

fill up the space entirely with sawdust, which can 

be removed every time additional fish are put there. 

The fish are better if not put together; that is, have 

sawdust divide the fish, for the reason that each 

fish will have cold all over it. If an ice-house is not 

287 



Fish and Fishing 

available, and a refrigerator is only at service, 
then lay the fish flat upon the ice, and cover them 
over with clean paper, which will soon absorb moist- 
ure and retain it. In an ice-house, with ample saw- 
dust, trout may be kept for some time, even for 
weeks, sweet and fresh. It is only safe for a few 
days if the trout is kept in the refrigerator. With- 
out the aid of ice, it should be wrapped in damp, 
brown paper, or some woollen cloth, then placed in 
cold, damp earth or wet, cold grass where the tem- 
perature is as cold as possible. Be careful to have 
the fish so well covered that air cannot penetrate. 
In that condition it will keep forty-eight hours. I 
have kept trout for two days covered 
well with sawdust, then wrapped in 
three layers of paper, all thoroughly damp, but 
not wet, then laid in a little cold, running spring, 
so that the water just ran by and touched the 
paper. Such a place must be well shaded, with- 
out the sun getting at it. Two and a half days 
after, having travelled in hot cars fifty miles, they 
were in fair condition. All fresh-water fish keep 
longer and fresher if left entire, without being 
slit. It is the greatest mistake to open them and 
remove the gills, for immediately the head as well 
as the inside begins to fester and rot. The skin is a 
natural protection to the flesh, which, if left bare 
and open to the atmosphere, soon turns blue and 
soft. If the gills are well pressed down to exclude 
the air, and the mouth kept closed, the fish 
will keep much better than if the gills are cut 
away. 

288 



Right Way to Keep Fish Fresh 



PACKING THEM 

It is the reverse with fish caught in salt water, 
especially those of a large size. A salt-water fish, 
say a large, striped bass, often has its stomach 
chock-full of partly digested food, 
Ma^Hne^Fish which, at the death of the fish 
immediately begins to rot, and, if 
not removed, turns the flesh blue and makes it 
rancid. After making a slit from the vent nearly 
to the gills, do not split open the chest bone, but 
endeavor to remove the gills separately. Leave the 
blood sac, along the backbone, entire; though it 
turns black and clogs in a solid mass, it assists in 
keeping the flesh crisp and sweet. A fish heavy 
with roe should not be cut open, but kept and 
packed entire. Sea fish are more salty, both in flesh 
and skin, than fresh- water fish, therefore will keep 
longer in good condition ; though all fish, fresh or 
salt, lose their rich flavor the longer they are kept. 
Bottom-feeding fish keep much longer than game 
fish that feed on the surface. All fish are better if 
not handled much or moved often. All fish, 
both fresh and salt water, if packed and shipped 
in cracked ice, and so kept from the time they are 
killed, keep. perfectly fresh and cold. If packed in 

a solid box, the ice (with proper care 
Keep Longer ^^^^^ ^he box is not exposed to the 

rays of the sim, or placed in a hot, 
close room or car), should last at least twenty-four 
hours ; longer if placed where cold air is about it. 
289 



Fish and Fishing 

To pack fresh-water fish without ice they should 
be rolled repeatedly in wet paper or wet cloth, 
woollen preferred. They should then be wrapped 
all together in large rhubarb, dock, or any large 
fresh leaves, and thoroughly wetted. They 
should then be embedded in wet sawdust con- 
tained in a solid wooden box; or if in a wicker 
basket, it should be lined with stout dry paper, 
which should keep the contents air-tight, and so 
retain the moisture and cold. In this way I 
have kept game fish (fresh water) a day and a 
night of travel on the cars as ordinary baggage, 
without extra attention or care; grass, hay, or 
straw are the worst things to pack fish in, as they 
sweat and get hotter and hotter. 

Long moss, got from boggy and damp places in 
woods, is excellent to pack fish, but it should not 
be too wet; it makes good padding in place of 
sawdust. Water-cress is another good substitute 
for sawdust, because the stems 
and Moss^^^ retain the cold moisture, and stay 
perfectly fresh for a considerable 
time if kept cool. In fact, I always line my creel 
with water-cress when taking trout home. At the 
end of a day's railway journey the cress is just as 
crisp as when first cut, therefore the fish are kept 
cool and moist. If trout are completely covered 
with water-cress, then wrapped well in newspapers, 
they can be stitched up in a bundle of coarse 
bagging, and will stand a twenty-four-hour rail- 
way journey. 

Salmon require more care, and I know of noth- 
290 



Right Way to Keep Fish Fresh 

ing better than a solid box, well put together, of 
inch material and filled with cracked ice, with 
the fish embedded. On the box there 
Packing" should be a tag marked "perishable 
goods." With proper care it should 
arrive in New York City from Canada or Nova 
Scotia in fresh condition. 

Salmon, pike, and mascalonge travel better and 
arrive fresher if not cut open, and they are also 
better if packed immediately after they are killed, 
or as soon after as possible. When they are de- 
livered they should be at once put on ice, and 
kept there till the time comes for dressing and 
cooking. 

If fish are cleaned and scaled before shipping 
they lose their solidity and taste more insipid, 
and if long on the journey actually become rancid 
and unfit for eating purposes. 



291 



CHAPTER XI 

How to Cook Them 
CLEANING FISH 

Anglers should endeavor to keep their quarry 
moist from the time it leaves the water till it is to 
be cleaned, and not until after the gills and insides 
are removed should it be washed. Always scale 
a fish before the fins are cut, or the inside slit 



Fish knife and scaler. 

open, otherwise scaling is not done so quickly or 
so neatly. There are various fish scalers sold in 

the tackle shops, and that shown in cut is 
ptsh "^ among the best. It is neat and compact, 

the sharp point being useful, though, to my 
mind, such a tool should close. If such a tool be 
not handy, use a blunt knife, near the haft. To 
scale a fish well, grasp the tail in the left hand, or 
pin the tail down on a board, scaling hard and 
quick as the scales slip out of their sockets easier 
by so doing. Scrape around all parts on both 
292 



How to Cook Them 

sides, then cut off the fins with a sharp knife or 
shears, and wipe the fish clean and dry with a 
cloth. The gills should then be cut from the 
lower jaw and back of the head, a slit being made 
from the head along the lower body to the vent. 
The gills being pulled will at the same time 
draw the insides away, and if done with care, a 
perfectly clean inside is the result. In most fish 
(if fresh) the blood is encased in 

Qelninf Fi"h ^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ the backbone 
and can be pulled away entire. 
A fish so treated can and should be prepared 
without the use of water. After being cleaned and 
scaled it should be well washed in two waters, to 
thoroughly divest it of all slime and blood. If 
it is a fresh-water fish it can be placed in a vessel 
of salt and water to soak for half an hour; if they 
are coarse fish, caught in quiet, stagnant pools 
(such as carp, catfish, perch, eels, and pickerel), 
an hour's soak is better. Afterward they should 
be taken out of the bath, dried with a clean cloth, 
and they are ready for cooking. To skin eels, cat- 
fish, perch, etc., a slit is made a short distance 

-w- c-t • r- .- down the back from the head ; then 
To Skin Fish . . , «. i i , 

take a pmcn or salt or sand between 

the fingers, to stop the skin from slipping, pull 

steadily toward the lower part of the fish on one 

side and then on the other. This should be done 

before the belly is cut open, or else it tears away 

the shoulder bone. When the skin is pulled down 

to the lower under-fin, pull from the other side; 

then take both sides together, and it will tear off 

293 



Fish and Fishing 

from the tail in one piece. This refers to the cat- 
fish, perch, and eels. After a good grip is secured 
the skin comes off entire from the body of an eel 
without trouble. 

To fillet a fluke or flounder, before cleaning get 
a good sharp knife with a point, and cut along the 
backbone of the fish from head to tail ; then shave 
it close to the bone, taking the fillet in the left hand 
as it leaves the fish; begin likewise on the other 
side and repeat the same. Turn over 
a^Fish *^^ ^^^^' taking away two more fillets, 
making four pieces of boneless fish; 
nothing but the skeleton remains. All the bones 
being perfectly flat, the flesh is easily cut away, 
leaving the bone absolutely bare of flesh. Flat 
fish are more easily done, but all fish can be so 
treated by this method and made boneless. 

All fish for the pan should be scaled, head and 
fins taken off, then cut down the back clear through 
the bone; then open up the fish flat and take 
away the inside (it is not so good to open it from 
the belly), wash well and dry with 
a cloth. For broiling it should be 
treated in the same manner. For baking either 
fresh or salt water fish, scale and remove the gills ; 
leave the head on, but remove the inside; wash, 
and then dry. 

To prepare a large fish for boiling, scale and 

then clean it, cut off the fins, leaving 

the head and tail intact. The fish 

should then be cut through the body in three parts, 

to allow its being placed in the kettle before 

294 



How to Cook Them 

being wrapped in tlie cloth. Take a piece of 
cord and wrap around the head, under and above 
the middle piece and around the tail piece so that 
the fish can be put together in its natural position 
on the dish after being cooked. Never sever the 
head from a fish, unless it is to be skinned, filleted 
or fried. Fish served at the table, headless and 
tailless, look queer and unnatural. 

COOKING FISH 

In cookmg pan fish, both fresh-water and ma- 
rine, some people prefer to dip them in bread 
crumbs or a batter of flour and eggs, or cracker 
crumbs and egg. In such a manner they may be 
either whole small fish, fillets or slices of large 
. fish. Either way they should have salt 
and pepper scattered on before being 
placed in the pan ; some parsley, along with a few 
slices of green onion tops, gives it a relish. Serve 
the fish with a garniture of water-cress. 

For baking trout, pike, striped bass, etc., scale 
the fish and remove the gills; leave the head on 
but remove the inside; wash, and 
then dry. Make a stuffing as fol- 
lows: Beat two eggs, add four chopped oysters, 
two sliced and boned sardines, one cup of 
grated bread, some chopped onions, minced 
parsley, a little pounded mace, black pepper, 
allspice, and salt. Beat a piece of butter in 
the stew pan, stir the whole dressing together 
over the fire till of the consistency of a thick bat- 
295 



Fish and Fishing 

ter. Fill the fish with the stuffing and sew it up; 
put slices of fat pork into small holes made through 
the skin of the sides and back. Bake in a moder- 
ate oven, basting with plenty of butter, and serve 
garnished with pickled mushrooms, parsley, and 
anchovy sauce. 

To broil fresh or salt water fish, split it from the 
back and clean it, rub over with oil or butter to 
keep the skin from sticking, and grease the broiler 
with salt pork. Have the fire hot and clear, a 
„ ... wood fire beins: best, and keep con- 

BrOlling , . 11 1 T.1 1 n ^ 

stantly turnmg till done, rlace the nsh 
on a hot dish, season well with salt and pepper 
and a lump of butter, then spread over it anchovy 
or tomato sauce, with a garniture of water-cress 
and sliced lemon. 

A primitive and simple camp method is to take 
a good-sized fish, just out of the water, and with- 
out cleaning it, wrap it up in a wet paper and 
place it in the red-hot coals, testing now and then 

^ . . with a fork. When the fork goes 
Camp Cooking ,, i i r. i ., . . 

through the fash easily, it is 

cooked. Twelve or fifteen minutes is long enough; 
then carefully remove the fish from the paper, 
leaving the skin adhering thereto; season it with 
butter, salt, and pepper, and serve it with cress. 
Another way to bake a fish is to cover it (un- 
drawn) with clay, two inches thick, and place it in 
the hottest part of the fire; the clay hardens 
almost instantly and the fish in its rough oven 
bakes through, retaining its juices. The clay is 
then poked out of the fire, cooled with a dash of 
296 



How to Cook Them 

water, and a sharp stroke separates it from the 

fish. The skin peels off with the clay, and it is 

then seasoned ready for serving. If clay is not 

at hand, wrap the fish evenly in thin buttered 

tissue paper and bury this in some wet, brown, 

wrapping paper; then bake same as in clay. 

The easiest and quickest way of all to bake a 

fish is to split it, cut off the head, tail and 

fins; then season, pin it to a board by 

wooden pegs and prop the whole up before a smart 

fire of hot coals. 

CUTTING AND SERVING FISH 

Few men understand how properly to clean and 
cut up fish, and fewer still know how to cut a fish 
when cooked for serving. A small fish when 
^ooked should be slit down the back, the flesh 
stripped off in one piece from the back. With the 
left hand, take the head, lift it slowly (a fork 
holding down the lower half), and it will pull 
along with the backbone all the ribs from the 
flesh, leaving practically two filleted and boneless 
pieces ready to be eaten. 

To carve or cut a large fish, it should first be 
slit down the back, then cut crosswise every two 
inches or so, and taken away from the backbone 
in pieces. When the first half is cut 
Cooked* pfsh away, disjoint and lay aside the 
backbone, leaving the head and tail 
on the fish with the lower part; then cut it as be- 
fore. Use a sharp knife for cleaning, a dull broad 
297 



Fish and Fishing 

fish knife for cutting when cooked. In my opin- 
ion fish are a dehcious dish if cooked when fresh, 
no matter which way they are cooked, provided they 
are well cooked, for underdone fish are uneatable. 
If overdone, the flavor is gone, or it is too dry. 
Some people prefer fish served with all the skin 
removed. This can be done either before or after 
cooking. Skinning before is much the quickest 
way. 

Sea fish require less salt, as a rule, than fresh 
fish. In camp salmon or other steaks can be 
broiled on a single broiler, not the clasp variety, 
as the fish in turning drop out on the coals. A 
flat piece of birch bark can be placed over the 
fish on the single broiler, when turning; it can 
be turned back on another piece, and so placed 
on the other side of the broiler. 

There are two ways to tell if a fish is stale or 
fresh. First, if the eyes are bright and glassy, it 
is fresh; if sunken, dull, discolored, it is stale. 
Second, if the finger be pressed on 
Testing |.j^g fleshy part and it is solid and 

elastic, the fish is fresh; if the press- 
ure leaves a mark, it is stale. This applies to 
salt as well as to fresh water fish. 



298 



CHAPTER XII 

Simple Hatchery for Trout 
TROUT BREEDING 

Many trout anglers have private waters, either 
a stream or pond (big or Httle), where they can 
invite a few friends now and then to share their 
sport, so that at times they deplete their water of 
fish more than they desire. Some know, but the 
majority don't, that trout breeding can be carried 
on by them at a very moderate expenditure of 
time, trouble, and money. 

When trout eggs are within a week or so of 
hatching they are called eyed ova, the eyes of the 
embryo fish being distinctly visible through the 
shell of the egg. Eyed ova are supplied by all the 
fish culturists and by the following, 
A^^e^Sold ^^^ for brook trout : New England Trout 
Farm, Plympton, Mass., L. B. 
Handy, Wareham, Mass.; Plymouth Rock Trout 
Co., Plymouth, Mass.; Paradise Brook Trout 
Co., Parkside, Pa.; for small-mouthed black 
bass, Henry W. Buman, New Preston, Conn. 

Eggs may be sent to any distance (only buy 
those which are guaranteed to have been taken 
299 



Fish and Fishing 

from large fish), but the shorter the distance 
trout of any size have to travel the better. 

To hatch the eggs, they may be placed on a 
gravelly shallow in the brook or stream, in a foot 
of water or less, and covered with a piece of fine 
wire netting. They should be ordered to be sent 
just at the point of hatching, so that they will 
hatch out in a couple of days. 

The fry will look after themselves. Floods are 
a standing danger to this plan. Fry, unless bred 
in enormous quantities, are very little use in riv- 
ers which already contain feeders on fish, like 
eels, catfish, suckers, carp, pickerel, and perch. 
A stream, however small, which runs into a pond 
affords every convenience for hatching out the 
ova and rearing the fry. The pond should be 
cleared of other fish, and the outlet carefully 
guarded with very fine perforated 
zinc to prevent the escape of the fry. 
Some slight preparation is advisable in the 
stream. The simplest thing to do is merely to lay 
the eyed ova on a suitable shallow (where the 
water is four to eight inches in depth, and flows 
gently), cover them with fine-meshed wire netting, 
fixed a few inches above the surface of the water, 
and leave them. It is advisable to cover over the 
whole of the brook, from your trench to the pond, 
with netting, to save the fry from kingfishers, 
herons, etc. 

But all streams are subject to floods, and the 
safest way to deal with the ova is to prepare a 
trench for them by the side of, and fed by the 
300 



Simple Hatchery for Trout 

water from, the stream. No more water than can 
pass through the pipe which feeds the trench can 
then find its way to the eggs. The ground plan 
of a stream pond and trench. Fig. 1, will show how 
very clearly. The inlet pipe A may be made of 
three-inch drain pipe. The trench B can be lined 



^ e>R00K ^ 


2 


S^(iF necessary) 


■^ TRENCH <-. 


NvbC^EN 




A 


Y^\ 


B 



Fig. 1. Simple arrangement for trout 
breeding (ground plan). 



POND 



with large drain pipes. Al- 
low two square feet for each 
1,000 eggs. For 15,000 eggs 
the dimensions of trench 
may be two feet in width by fifteen feet in 
length, or, better still, one foot by thirty feet. 
The outlet C should be about six 

The bottom of the trench should 
be covered with three inches of clean stones, 
about an inch in diameter, among which the fry 
can hide themselves when first hatched. Put 
no screen or obstruction in the channel C, 
but allow the fry to pass down to the brook, 
and from the brook to the pond, just when they 
think fit. A large piece of perforated zinc should 
be placed in the brook at the mouth of the 
inlet A to prevent the entrance of fish, rats, or 
rubbish; and if there is not sufiicient fall in the 
301 



Fish and Fishing 

brook to cause the water to flow through the 
trench, a small dam may be required across the 
brook below A. This arrangement may be made 
by any laboring man for something under ten 
dollars. But of course where expense is no ob- 
ject, a considerable amount of money may be 
spent in stone work, settling pond, filter, etc. 
Fig. 2 shows the trench, inlet and outlet in sec- 




Fig. 2. Simple arrangement for trout breeding 
(section of fig. 1). 

tions. With lakes, ponds, and rivers already con- 
taining brown trout, or other depredatory fish, 
unless trout of half a pound or upward can be 
purchased and turned in (a costly proceeding) 

the best plan is to thoroughly stock the 
BrcK)ks ^ tributary small brooks. Ninety per cent. 

or more of the fry placed in rivers con- 
taining numerous large trout, pickerel, perch, bass, 
etc., are eaten up. Besides putting in fish, great 
attention should be paid to making the streams 
suitable for trout, increasing the food supply, and 
plenty of shady places, large rocks for hiding, 
and weeds to induce insect growth. 

The various proceedings necessary in trout 
breeding by professional and State hatcheries are 
as follows: When the trout are seen on the shal- 
lows, in October and November, they are netted 
302 



Simple Hatchery for Trout 




in small-mcshcd nets. Those from which the ova 
or milt run easily (ripe fish) are placed in a can of 
water, and the unripe remainder returned or left 
in store, or afloat, to mature. From the males a 
milky liquid will flow at almost the slightest 
handling, while from the females a touch 
will cause the appearance of 
a few eggs the size of small 
peas. To spawn the female, 
hold her tail in your left 
hand, head in the right hand, 
raise the head and hold the 
vent of the fish over an agate- 
lined dish. If only 

'^thTo^^ °"« °^ two small 
fish are to be 
spawned, bend the tail back 
a little, causing the skin 
on the belly to tighten, and the eggs will flow 
out. If the eggs do not flow freely, or any are 
left, pass the right hand downward over the 
belly, using little pressure until past the vitals. 
Next, quickly take a male fish, hold the abdomen 
against the eggs and gently press with the thumb 
and forefinger above, and just behind, the pec- 
toral fins. Have a towel in front of 
you during these operations and lay 
the fish on it, when not handling them, and if you 
cannot both hold and spawn the fish yourself, let 
an assistant hold the fish for you, and, in any case, 
wear a woollen or cloth glove on the left hand. 
To return to the eggs; after the ova are milted, 
303 



Position of the hands in 

stripping a female 

trout. 



The Milt 



Fish and Fishing 

add a tumbler of water and gently stir the eggs 
and milt together. The eggs will shortly stick to 
the dish and together. Do not remove them until 
they have separated, which will be in from half 
to three-quarters of an hour, or a little more. 
Next put the dish under a jet of water, and let the 
water overflow and carry with it the effete milt. 
The eggs are now ready to be laid down, and all 
that is required is a constant flow of unpolluted 
water, about three inches in depth. Any dead 
eggs must be picked out every morning, and 
there must be nothing in the material of which the 
troughs are made (if the eggs are put in troughs) 
which will poison the water, or bear any fungoid 
growth likely to be communicated to the fish. 
The eggs may be placed in a long wooden trough 
(if wood is used it must be charred) out of which 
the water passes at one end through a very fine 
screen, or they may be laid down in gravel in a 
brook or backwater, of course being carefully 
guarded from water birds and other enemies; or 
they may be placed in an artificial trench, as 
shown in cut. 

No two eggs should touch each other ; any crowd- 
ing should be avoided, and, if possible, the eggs 
should be kept in the dark. The current which 
passes over them should be gentle for it may wash 

the eggs away. But the slower the 
o "water stream the shallower must be the water. 

Trout eggs can easily be hatched out 
in city water, more easily, indeed, than in the coun- 
try, where sometimes the sediment in the water 
304 



Simple Hatchery for Trout 

is a constant source of trouble and loss. If 
the eggs get covered with sediment, the water in 
the trough must be added to night and morning, 
with a watering can, and the stream through the 
trough increased. 

The best thing to do with the fry is to place 
them, at the end of the three weeks, in a pond in 
which there is plenty of food (first clearing it out 
of other fish), when they will feed themselves, and 
grow rapidly or slowly, according to the food 
supply. 

If the natural food supply is not equal to the 
wants of the fry, a certain number of the little fish 
are bound to die. The fry at some hatcheries are 
fed on a paste (made in worm-like form, by being 
squeezed through perforated zinc) 
consisting of beef, or horse (no fat), 
or liver, pounded, and intimately mixed with the 
yolks of hard-boiled eggs (nine to each pound of 
meat) and passed through a wire sieve. 

In some ponds there is sufiicient natural food, 
and the fry do not require feeding. For more 
complete information on this subject the reader 
should consult Livingston Stone's "Domesticated 
Trout," which gives the "dry method" of trout 
propagation. The foregoing description refers to 
what is termed the "wet method," the only differ- 
ence in the two being that the eggs and milt are 
taken in a dry spawning pan instead of one partly 
filled with water; and by the dry process one 
hundred per cent, of good salmon or trout eggs 
may be impregnated, while by the wet process, 
305 



Fish and Fishing 

with an inch or two of water in the spawning pan, 
only from sixty to seventy per cent, are impreg- 
nated. 

Dry impregnation was discovered by Mr. V. P. 
Vrascki, a Russian fish culturist, in the year 1856. 
Numerous discoveries have since been made and 
nearly all modern fish culturists use the dry 
process. 

The average production of trout eggs is from 
300 to 1,500, depending upon the age and size of 
the fish. With water at fifty degrees Fahrenheit 
the eggs hatch in about fifty days. But with 
water about thirty-four degrees Fahrenheit, they 
will require over one hundred and fifty days. 
Impregnated eggs are amber-colored, and dead 
eggs are as white as chalk and must be picked out 
from the good eggs to prevent the spread of dis- 
ease to the good eggs. 



306 



kP \^ 









^ ^^.- v^ 



% 







,0^' 












^^ ><^^%. 









l\ 












2^ '^ ' "^ 










^1%', 






o5 -^ 






^'"^ '^^^^2.^; /% 









-OO'' 






;( 



^-'^ > 



^Oo. 









■% .^ 



* r-i 













/^'((('^tSi. 






>. '^ 



""^^ v^' 



>>°°- 



.5 -'•*. 



'S^. " . 









/" ^-^ 













^0^ ^/; 



x^ 



^c^ ^ ^. ^%: .-/^ , 






LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




